Faux
/foʊ/noun
Artificial or imitation rather than genuine.
Did you know?English borrowed faux from French, whose form ultimately comes from Latin falsus, meaning “deceived” or “false,” linking modern imitation to an ancient vocabulary of illusion.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
falsus
“False, deceptive, or mistaken; the past participle of fallere, “to deceive.””
9th–12th Century
Old French
faus
“False, deceitful, or untrue.”
12th–15th Century
Middle French
faux
“False or counterfeit; the x was retained in the spelling even as pronunciation changed.”
17th Century
English
faux
“Borrowed from French for something artificial or imitative.”
Modern English
English
faux
“Imitation or artificial, often used in fashion, design, and lifestyle branding.”