noun Uncommon

facade

fuh-SAHD

Facade (noun) means the front exterior wall of a building. Example: “The cathedral's stone facade dates back to the 13th century.”

noun

The front exterior wall of a building.

"The cathedral's stone facade dates back to the 13th century."

A false or misleading outward appearance that hides someone's true feelings or a situation's true nature.

"Behind the confident facade, he was terrified of failing."

"The company kept up a facade of stability while quietly going bankrupt."

How to use facade

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the front of a building, or a fake outward show that hides what's really going on.

Common mistake

Silent "c" before the cedilla mark makes it sound like "fuh-SAHD," not "fak-AYD."

Common pairings

a crumbling facade maintain a facade facade of confidence

Word forms

facaded past tense, facades plural, facades singular

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The cathedral's stone _____ dates back to the 13th century.

Etymology

From French façade, from Italian facciata, related to faccia, "face" — ultimately from Latin facies.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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frontal frontage window dressing

Related words

front forward frontal frontage

Rhymes for facade

Ade made jade wade fade sade Bade Cade Dade trade blade spade

See all rhymes for facade →

Frequently asked questions

What does “facade” mean?

The word “facade” means the front exterior wall of a building. In plain terms, either the front of a building, or a fake outward show that hides what's really going on.

How do you pronounce “facade”?

“Facade” is pronounced fuh-SAHD (/fəˈsɑːd/ in IPA).

How do you use “facade” in a sentence?

Here is “facade” used in a sentence: “The cathedral's stone facade dates back to the 13th century.”

What part of speech is “facade”?

“Facade” is a noun.

Where does the word “facade” come from?

The word “facade” comes from Latin. From French façade, from Italian facciata, related to faccia, "face" — ultimately from Latin facies.

Is “facade” a common word?

“Facade” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “facade” have?

“Facade” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the front exterior wall of a building.

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