A thin sheet of expensive wood applied to a less valuable wood surface for decoration, or a person who applies veneers.
From 'veneer,' an alternate spelling and form, ultimately from Dutch 'fineren' (to cover). The variant 'fineer' is less common in modern English but appears in older texts and specialized woodworking contexts.
Veneering is essentially controlled lying in woodworking—you're covering the truth with something beautiful, which is exactly what the word 'veneer' came to mean metaphorically for fake authenticity.
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