faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: not real or genuine: such as

a

: made to look like something else that is usually more valuable : imitation, fake

faux leather/fur

a string of faux pearls

… faux is the French word for fake, but it's a very chic fake. Faux marble, for example, is found in the best of homes.

—Sylvia Sachs

b

: not sincere

a show of faux [=feigned] concern

On Monday the CEO dusted off a version of the "I'm sorry if I offended you" faux apology used when people really mean, "I'm sorry I got caught."

—The East Bay (California) Times

Synonyms

• artificial
• bogus
• dummy
• ersatz
• factitious
• fake
• false
• imitation
• imitative
• man-made
• mimic
• mock
• pretend
• sham
• simulated
• substitute
• synthetic

Examples of faux in a Sentence

even the celebrity interior designer was fooled by the faux marble

Recent Examples on the Web

Made of faux leather, the fabric is high-quality, water-resistant, and cruelty-free. —Izzy Baskette, People.com, 22 May 2025

The original Universal Studios Orlando mimicked a Hollywood backlot, with soundstages and faux New York streets. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2025

The Novis is available in black faux leather or gray fabric versions, each in L ($249) or XL ($279) sizes. —PC Magazine, 21 May 2025

Middleton coordinated the earrings with a 1980s vintage five-strand faux pearl necklace from the jeweler as well. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, false

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing faux

• faux hawk
• faux-naïf
• faux-naif
• faux pas

Rhymes for faux

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: imitation entry 2

faux marble

Etymology

from French, "false," from Latin falsus