Facades

/fəˈkeɪdz/ noun

Definition

Plural of facade; the front surfaces of buildings; deceptive or false appearances that hide something.

Etymology

From French façade, Italian facciata, from Latin facies (face, appearance). The metaphorical meaning developed because building fronts often hide what's really inside.

Kelly Says

A 'facade' can mean the pretty front of a Parisian building OR the fake personality someone shows the world—language borrowed architecture's honesty about fake surfaces.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.