facet

[ fas-it ]
See synonyms for: facetfacetedfacetingfacets on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. aspect; phase: They carefully examined every facet of the argument.

  2. Architecture. any of the faces of a column cut in a polygonal form.

  3. Zoology. one of the corneal lenses of a compound arthropod eye.

  4. Anatomy. a small, smooth, flat area on a hard surface, especially on a bone.

  5. 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.

Origin of facet

1
First recorded in 1615–25, from the French facette “little face”; see face, -ette

Words Nearby facet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use facet in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for facet

facet

/ (ˈfæsɪt) /


noun
  1. any of the surfaces of a cut gemstone

  2. an aspect or phase, as of a subject or personality

  1. architect the raised surface between the flutes of a column

  2. any of the lenses that make up the compound eye of an insect or other arthropod

  3. anatomy any small smooth area on a hard surface, as on a bone

verb-ets, -eting, -eted, -ets, -etting or -etted
  1. (tr) to cut facets in (a gemstone)

Origin of facet

1
C17: from French facette a little face

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012