Facade

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Facade

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun

Pronunciation

fuh-SAHD  /fəˈsɑːd/

Definition

The face or front of a building, especially its principal or most decorative face. Also: an outward appearance, especially a deceptive one that conceals a less pleasant reality.

Plain meaning

The front face of a building — and more broadly, the outward show a person or organisation presents to the world while hiding what is really going on inside.

Register

Neutral in architectural use. Carries a note of scepticism or warning in the figurative sense — a facade implies something is being hidden.