also: any face of a building given special architectural treatment
a museum's east facade
2
: a false, superficial, or artificial appearance or effect
tried to preserve the facade of a happy marriage
Illustration of facade
facade 1
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A Brief History of Facade
Facade is thought to have come to English from the Vulgar Latin facia, meaning “face.” Along the way it passed through both Italian, as faccia, and French, as façade. The earliest meaning of the word in English was in reference to the front portion of a building, its “face,” so to speak (and face itself is sometimes used to describe this part of a structure as well).
Somewhere along the way facade took on a figurative sense, referring to a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation. This is similar to the figurative use of veneer, which originally had the simple meaning of a thin layer of wood that was used to cover something, and now may also refer to a sort of deceptive behavior that masks one’s actual feelings (as in, “he had a thin veneer of politeness”).
"I mean, don't you find yourself being extra careful about what you say and how you say it? As if you have to be this phony, put on a facade, because you don't want to give them the wrong impression?"—Terry McMillan, Waiting to Exhale, 1992When I watched him in motion picture roles after the war, I knew there was something of honest substance behind that acting façade.—Andrew A. Rooney, And More by Andy Rooney, (1979) 1982… but his magic power of concentration was gone. All the façades he built up between himself and his desperate love never entirely hid it.—May Sarton, Shadow of a Man, 1950
the facade of the bank
the windowless façade of the skyscraper
They were trying to preserve the facade of a happy marriage.
I could sense the hostility lurking behind her polite facade.
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Inspired by the lines and craftsmanship of the original arcades, its bold geometric facade and sweeping interiors host a John Lewis department store, serving as a modern counterpart to the grandeur of its Victorian neighbor.—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Prioritize window placement early by considering exterior style, symmetry, and scale to ensure the facade feels balanced and visually pleasing.—Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 25 June 2025 After Carey and Julie sleep together and reveal it to their respective partners, the facades of both relationships begin to crack, setting both couples on a collision course.—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 23 June 2025 One of them was the Ramat Aviv area of Tel Aviv, tearing holes in the facades of apartment blocks.—Jason Ma, Fortune, 22 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for facade
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from French, going back to Middle French fassade, borrowed from Italian facciata, from faccia "face" (going back to Vulgar Latin *facia) + -ata-ade — more at face entry 1
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