facade

Or fa·çade

[fuh-sahd, fa-]

noun

1. Architecture.

   1. the front of a building, especially an imposing or decorative one.

   2. any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly.

2. a superficial appearance or illusion of something.

   They managed somehow to maintain a facade of wealth.

façade

/ fəˈsɑːd, fæ- /

noun

1. the face of a building, esp the main front

2. a front or outer appearance, esp a deceptive one

Word History and Origins

Origin of facade¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from French, from Upper Italian faciada, Italian facciata, equivalent to facci(a) face + -ata -ade ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of facade¹

C17: from French, from Italian facciata , from faccia _face

Example Sentences

One from February 2024 concerns the building's failure to file a report on facade safety and inspection.

From BBC

Though the home’s facade appeared throughout the run of the family sitcom, its interior at the time bore no resemblance to the colorful rooms shown on screen.

From Los Angeles Times

Suzanne claims to want everyone to feel “empowered,” though her controlling temperament pokes through her welcoming facade.

From Los Angeles Times

The temple's intricately carved stone facade came alive in the soft yellow glow of the LED lights in a way it could not in harsh sunlight.

From BBC

Others, like the jail, the livery and a barber shop are just facades — great for selfies but little else.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• color 
• exterior 
• front 
• veneer 

When To Use

What does facade mean?

A facade is the front of a building or a side that faces a public area.Facade is used literally to describe a decorative, showy, or onrate piece of architecture that frames the front of a building, as in The architect who designed this building used a showy facade on it to help it stand out from nearby buildings.A facade is also a superficial appearance or an illusion, which can be literal or figurative. If a movie star wears a dark hoodie and sunglasses so they won’t be recognized by the press, they are wearing a literal facade. If that movie star acts completely different from who they actually are or puts on an alternate personality in order to trick or convince people of something, that is a figurative facade.Example: He continually lied to keep up his facade until the whole thing stumbled out of control.