A blank, expressionless facial expression that reveals nothing about one's thoughts, emotions, or intentions; maintaining composure to avoid giving away information.
This term comes from poker, where players must avoid showing any facial expressions or 'tells' that might reveal the strength of their hand to opponents. The phrase was popularized in the early 1900s and gained broader cultural recognition, especially after Lady Gaga's 2008 hit song of the same name.
The concept of a poker face reveals something profound about human communication - we constantly broadcast information through micro-expressions, and the ability to control this natural tendency requires significant mental discipline. Research shows that even professional poker players have unconscious tells, making the perfect poker face more of an ideal than an achievable reality.
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