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.
Mavericks fans staged a faux funeral complete with a casket a day later in front of the Dirk Nowitzki statue outside the American Airlines Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
High Park Farm also looms large in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Exhibit, with a whole section configured to look like the inside of their farmhouse: wood paneling, quaint lighting, faux windows.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
Elsewhere in the UK, the removal of artificial flowers in graveyards has caused some upset, with families arguing that they relied on the faux blooms if they were unable to visit a relative's grave regularly.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
I laughed as my cheap television made it appear as if they were warming up wearing faux stonewashed denim jerseys.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
But right now my only job is to make sure this absurd scene doesn’t turn into some ridiculous faux girl-gang turf war, so I pull Violet away and step in front of her.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
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.
