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

Just take a look at her Coachella style, filled with faux furs and rhinestones. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2025

The faux marble top is easy to clean but still gives your room a high-class vibe. —Christopher Murray, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025

This green and black number has the perfect balance of faux fur and leather without becoming a costume. —Hikmat Mohammed, WWD, 7 Jan. 2025

Sides for the faux festive meal included baked potatoes, green beans, and a dab of margarine. —Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 6 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