faux ami

noun

A false friend; one of a pair of words in different languages or dialects that look similar and may be related but that differ significantly in meaning.

OriginFrench faux-ami →
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Meanings

nounfaux ami (plural faux amis)

plural faux amis

  1. human sciencesA false friend; one of a pair of words in different languages or dialects that look similar and may be related but that differ significantly in meaning.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
false friend

Origin

  1. Frenchfaux-ami
  2. Englishfaux ami

Unadapted borrowing from French faux-ami, from faux (“false”) + ami (“friend”).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

faux ami. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/faux%20ami

MLA

“faux ami.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/faux%20ami. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “faux ami,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/faux%20ami.

Source: faux ami on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.