facemail

English

Etymology 1

From face +‎ mail, modelled after email.

Noun

facemail (plural facemails)

(computing, technology) Face-to-face communication, as opposed to other non-personal forms of communication.
- 2001, Andrew Finlayson, Questions that work:
  It's been said that some high-tech experts think so little of actual conversation that they call it “facemail,” in their minds an inefficient and inferior form of communication.
- 2002, Zack Urlocker, Valley of the Geeks:
  So we had a facemail meeting and took him out to the woodshed, so to speak.
- 2006, Donna Gibbs, Kerri-Lee Krause, Cyberlines 2.0: languages and cultures of the Internet:
  That cyberlanguage has become firmly established in language communities can be observed in the practice of turning common, everyday expressions into technical metaphor: [...] talking personally is to use facemail, [...]

Verb

facemail (third-person singular simple present facemails, present participle facemailing, simple past and past participle facemailed)

To engage in face-to-face conversation.
To send a facemail.
- 2002, Laura J. Mixon, Burning the Ice:
  All other tasks, except those designated as crucial by the governing council, are suspended until further notice. Colony members are to report to Hydroponics for assignments. To apply for an exemption, facemail the council.

Related terms

facetime

Etymology 2

Blend of Facebook +‎ mail.

Noun

facemail (countable and uncountable, plural facemails)

(Internet) An email message sent via Facebook.
- 2009, Pamella Gray, Life of My Dreams:
  Zaria was surprised as she opened her e-mail a few days later to find new facemail from none other than Michael Kennedy. [...] I was surprised that you accepted my friend request, but then receiving facemail from you ... Am I dreaming? ...