fugazi
Fugazi (adjective) means Fake, counterfeit or not what it claims to be. Example: “The watch he was selling was fugazi.”
How to use fugazi
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFake, not the real thing.
American slang, strongly associated with crime films and Wall Street talk. It sounds knowing and a little theatrical rather than neutral.
The spelling fugazy also appears. The word's origin is disputed and no explanation for it is settled, so treat any confident story about where it came from with caution.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The watch he was selling was _____.
Etymology
Origin unknown; a number of possibilities have been suggested: * One theory is that it is a corruption of French fougasse (“type of land mine”); flame fougasses were used extensively in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. * Less plausibly, it might be from English fugacious (“fleeting”) or cognates such as Italian fugace (“fleeting”). * It has also been suggested that it could be an acronym of “fucked up, got ambushed, zipped in [a body bag]”, but this is more likely a backronym, not the origin (compare FUBAR).
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for fugazi
See all rhymes for fugazi →Frequently asked questions
What does fugazi mean?
It means fake or counterfeit. Calling an object fugazi says it is a forgery, and calling a situation fugazi says it is not what it appears to be.
Where does the word fugazi come from?
Its origin is genuinely uncertain. Several explanations circulate, including military slang and Italian American speech, but none is established, so the honest answer is that nobody knows.
Is fugazi the same as phoney?
They mean much the same thing, but fugazi is rarer and more colourful, and it usually describes objects or deals rather than people. Phoney is the neutral everyday word and applies equally to a person's manner.
What is the meaning of fugazi?
"fugazi" (adjective) means fake, counterfeit or not what it claims to be.