facade
fuh-SAHD
/fəˈsɑːd/
The principal front of a building, that faces onto a street or open space; metaphorically, an outward appearance that conceals a less pleasant reality.
In architecture, it refers to the exterior skin of a building, which is often designed to be aesthetically pleasing and weather-resistant.
The story behind the word. The word entered English from French, which had borrowed it from the Italian 'facciata', meaning the 'face of a building'. It shares its ultimate Latin origin with the word 'face', reminding us that a building's exterior is its primary way of presenting itself to the world.
Word relationships
- frontage: Frontage refers strictly to the land or side of a building facing a street or water, whereas facade refers to the architectural design of the face itself.
- veneer: A veneer is a thin decorative covering, while a facade can be a substantial, multi-story architectural wall.
- interior: The interior is the inside of the building, completely hidden by the facade.
Commonly confused with
- face: While 'face' is a general term for any side of an object, 'facade' is specifically reserved for the primary, designed exterior of a building.
Word family
- facial (adjective): Relating to the face.
- face (noun): The front part of the head, or the surface of an object.
Collocations
- glass facade
- brick facade
- historic facade
- maintain a facade
Idioms & expressions
- behind the facade
Example sentences
- "The developers agreed to preserve the historic brick facade while completely rebuilding the interior." Historic preservation
- "The ugly facade of his life was to be hidden away." Literary citation
Memory hook
The 'facade' is the 'face' of the building. Just like a person's face can hide their true feelings, a building's facade can hide its internal structure. The face of the place.
When not to use
Do not use to refer to the interior walls, roof, or structural core of a building.
Fun facts
- In film production, set designers build elaborate, realistic facades of houses with absolutely nothing behind them to save time and money.
Related words
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