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fard

[ fahrd ]
/ fɑrd /
Archaic.
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noun
facial cosmetics.
verb (used with object)
to apply cosmetics to (the face).
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Origin of fard

1400–50; late Middle English <Middle French, Old French: noun derivative of farder to apply makeup, probably <Old Low Franconian *farwiđon to dye, color (compare Old High German farwjan,German färben)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT FARDING

What does farding mean?

Farding is the act of applying makeup.

Farding comes from the word fard, which can be a verb meaning to apply makeup or a noun meaning makeup or other facial cosmetics. Fard is considered archaic, meaning it was once in common use but has become rare.

Example: My beauty blog is dedicated to the art of farding—applying makeup.

Where does farding come from?

The first records of the word fard in English come from the 1400s. It comes from the Old French word farder, meaning “to apply makeup.” This probably derives from the Old Low Franconian word farwiđon, meaning “to dye” or “to color.”

Farding originally referred to applying some kind of makeup to one’s face. It then began to be used figuratively to refer to embellishing something or covering up its flaws. The noun fard commonly referred to the kind of white theatrical face paint, such as that used by clowns, that we might call grease paint. After the 1800s, it became quite rare. However, the word fard is still seen in the names of some beauty products, especially since it is used in French to refer to some cosmetics. In recent slang usage, farding is sometimes used to mean the act of applying makeup while driving, or as a misspelling of farting.

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What are some other forms related to farding?

What are some words that often get used in discussing farding?

 

How is farding used in real life?

Farding is a rare word mostly used in the context of makeup and other cosmetics.

 

 

Try using farding?

True or False? 

The word farding is much less commonly used than it once was.

How to use fard in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fard

fard
/ (fɑːd) /

noun
archaic paint for the face, esp white paint

Word Origin for fard

C15: from Old French farder to use facial cosmetics, of Germanic origin
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
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