To erase, remove, or make something disappear, especially by rubbing away or obliterating; to make oneself inconspicuous.
From Old French 'effacer,' where 'ex-' means out and 'face' means face. Originally meant to erase the face or surface of something, then broadened to mean erase or eliminate entirely.
Efface originally meant to rub the face off something—over time it became the elegant way to say 'erase,' and now it can mean making yourself fade into the background (effacing yourself)!
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