What term refers to the study of structure and surface markings of the face and features?

The study of structure and surface markings of the face and its features is accurately referred to as physiognomy. This term specifically relates to understanding the character or personality traits of an individual based on their facial appearance and expressions. Historical uses of physiognomy often involved examining specific features to derive insights about a person's character, emphasizing the link between facial structure and identity.

While anatomy broadly encompasses the study of body structures, and physiology focuses on the functions of those structures, neither specifically target the aesthetic or interpretive aspects of facial features as physiognomy does. Anthropometry, on the other hand, deals with the measurement of the human body in various dimensions, which provides quantitative data but does not focus exclusively on facial features or their markings related to character interpretation. Thus, physiognomy is the most appropriate term in this context.