facet

[ fas-it ]

noun

1. a small, polished, flat surface, usually in the shape of a polygon, such as one of the surfaces of a cut gem.
2. a smooth, flat surface cut on a fragment of rock by the action of water, windblown sand, etc.
3. aspect; phase:

   They carefully examined every facet of the argument.

4. Architecture. any of the faces of a column cut in a polygonal form.
5. Zoology. one of the corneal lenses of a compound arthropod eye.
6. Anatomy. a small, smooth, flat area on a hard surface, especially on a bone.
7. Dentistry. a small, highly burnished area, usually on the enamel surface of a tooth, produced by abrasion between opposing teeth in chewing.

verb (used with object)

, fac·et·ed, fac·et·ing or fac·et·ted, fac·et·ting.

1. to cut facets on.

facet

/ ˈfæsɪt /

noun

1. any of the surfaces of a cut gemstone
2. an aspect or phase, as of a subject or personality
3. architect the raised surface between the flutes of a column
4. any of the lenses that make up the compound eye of an insect or other arthropod
5. anatomy any small smooth area on a hard surface, as on a bone

verb

1. tr to cut facets in (a gemstone)

Word History and Origins

Origin of facet¹

First recorded in 1615–25, from the French facette “little face”; face ( def ), -ette ( )

Word History and Origins

Origin of facet¹

C17: from French facette a little face

Example Sentences

Every facet of his identity, taken alone, seemed at war with every other part of him.

From The Daily Beast

That reality taints every facet of our existence, in Ferguson and beyond.

From The Daily Beast

The thing that set Brown apart, however, is his command over every facet of his show.

From The Daily Beast

A reader senses both storyteller and critic fighting for full expression on the page, one facet overlaying the other.

From The Daily Beast

“I think one interesting facet is how these stars are ballooning without any real traditional [media] support,” Fishman says.

From The Daily Beast

An articular facet begins on the manubrium near the neck and spirals halfway around the head of the malleus.

From Project Gutenberg

The blue stick has a diagonal facet at the top to indicate the square topped female mask (paragraph 168).

From Project Gutenberg

Dalgetty's words came fast, this was one facet of a task to which he had given his life.

From Project Gutenberg

At best language can but be the outward facet of thought on the highest, most generalized, level of symbolic expression.

From Project Gutenberg

There was one facet of the great stone of War upon which many strange things were written.

From Project Gutenberg