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
1
The front exterior wall of a building.
"The cathedral's stone facade dates back to the 13th century."
2
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- facades
- Third person singular
- facades
- Past tense
- facaded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
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.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for facade
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.
