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

The doll sports a black faux leather ensemble, dark shades, and her signature swooped hairstyle. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 21 Jan. 2025

Outerwear was opulent, with faux fur and substantial shearling collars adorning traditional topcoats at Dolce & Gabbana and Prada. —Luisa Zargani, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025

In the faux aristocracy that is Hollywood, a Blake Lively should not have reason to meaningfully cross paths with a Justin Baldoni. —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025

These boots are lined with faux fur and crafted from genuine suede, perfect for braving winter conditions while looking cute. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 10 Jan. 2025

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