faux
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of faux
1670–80; < French; Old French fals < Latin falsus false
Explanation
Faux means fake, or imitation. If you love the look of diamonds but can't afford one, get a faux diamond ring. Faux is a French word that has crept into our lexicon, because faux in French means "fake." Now if we have the words fake, imitation, and false (all of which are good synonyms), why use faux? For fashion, dahling. Use faux to talk about faux fur, faux gemstones, or to make fun of a "faux pas," which is French for "no-no," widely used among the witty international set when someone does something gauche (French for "clumsy").
Vocabulary lists containing faux
The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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When Fake is Real: Young People Rebel Against Instagram, Via Instagram
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The Distance Between Us
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The only real faux pas, according to Lizzie Dushaj, is blandness.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
"The question for me is whether wearing vintage fur increases the appetite for lookalikes -- either faux or new fur."
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
She was quick to try to clean up her faux pas, claiming she had skipped over the section because her statement was running long, but no one believed it.
From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026
Anthony Vaccarello's collection featured various versions of the classic tuxedo suit, silicone-coated lingerie dresses and faux fur coats.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
Some of the pilots were drifting back from the bar, still laughing at the rare faux pas of a colonel’s wife calling her husband at happy hour.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
