faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: not real or genuine: such as

a

: made to look like something else that is usually more valuable : imitation, fake

faux leather/fur

a string of faux pearls

… faux is the French word for fake, but it's a very chic fake. Faux marble, for example, is found in the best of homes.

—Sylvia Sachs

b

: not sincere

a show of faux [=feigned] concern

On Monday the CEO dusted off a version of the "I'm sorry if I offended you" faux apology used when people really mean, "I'm sorry I got caught."

—The East Bay (California) Times

Synonyms

• artificial
• bogus
• dummy
• ersatz
• factitious
• fake
• false
• imitation
• imitative
• man-made
• mimic
• mock
• pretend
• sham
• simulated
• substitute
• synthetic

Examples of faux in a Sentence

even the celebrity interior designer was fooled by the faux marble

Recent Examples on the Web

Brands from Old Navy to Gucci have introduced burgundy into their fall collections, showing faux suede outerwear, lush sweaters and trendy footwear. —Jane Hanson, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Add a faux fur skirt or garland around the tree for an elevated approach to the decade. —Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024

Its branches have 3,144 tips that look much closer to the real deal than standard rectangular faux needles. —Melissa Epifano, People.com, 3 Nov. 2024

Each night faux snow will fall on guests of the shopping, dining and entertainment complex. —Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, false

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing faux

• faux hawk
• faux-naïf
• faux-naif
• faux pas

Kids Definition

faux

adjective

ˈfō 

: imitation entry 2

faux marble

Etymology

from French, "false," from Latin falsus