What does faux mean?
Faux means artificial or imitation — made to look like something genuine without being so. Borrowed directly from the French word for 'false,' it entered English in the seventeenth century and has become the preferred label in fashion and interior design for convincing substitutes: faux fur, faux leather, faux pearls, faux marble. Unlike the blunter term 'fake,' faux carries an air of style rather than fraudulence, suggesting a deliberate, often tasteful imitation rather than deception or counterfeiting. The word also extends beyond materials to describe anything feigned or affected, such as faux modesty or faux outrage, where an emotion or attitude is put on rather than sincerely felt. Pronounced as one syllable ('foh'), it is a compact example of how English absorbs elegant French vocabulary to add nuance — allowing speakers to distinguish a chic imitation from a cheap forgery with a single well-chosen word.
Artificial or imitation, made to resemble something genuine in appearance or material.
"The handbag was made of faux leather, indistinguishable from the real thing at a glance."
Almost always used attributively, placed directly before the noun it modifies.
Pretended, feigned, or sham rather than genuine or sincere.
"Her faux surprise at the surprise party convinced no one."
This extended sense often carries a mildly critical or mocking tone.
Borrowed straight from the French word for 'false,' faux lets English speakers say 'fake' while making it sound like high fashion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of faux
Faux comes from the French adjective faux, meaning 'false,' which descends from the Latin falsus, the past participle of fallere, 'to deceive.' The word was adopted into English in the seventeenth century, initially in phrases imported wholesale from French, before becoming established on its own as a modifier. It shares this Latin ancestry with English words such as 'false,' 'falsify,' and 'fallacy,' all tracing back to the same root idea of deception.
How faux is actually used
Faux functions almost exclusively as an attributive adjective ('faux fur,' 'faux pearls') and is rarely used predicatively. It carries a more stylish, design-oriented connotation than plain 'fake,' which is why it dominates fashion and interior-decor vocabulary. In its extended sense it often signals pretense or insincerity, sometimes with a mocking tone (as in 'faux outrage'). It is fully standard in both British and American English and is pronounced as a single syllable, with the final -x silent.
Easily confused with faux
'Faux' alone is an adjective meaning artificial or imitation, while 'faux pas' is a distinct borrowed French noun meaning a social blunder or breach of etiquette.