facet

noun

fac·​et ˈfa-sət How to pronounce facet (audio)
Synonyms of facet
1
: a particular part or aspect (as of something being contemplated or considered)
Each facet of the problem requires careful analysis.
2
: a small plane surface (as on a cut gem) see brilliant illustration
3
: the external corneal surface of an ommatidium
Houseflies have about 350 facets per eye, while dragonflies have a whopping 30,000.—Brad Wetzler
4
: a smooth flat circumscribed anatomical surface (as of a bone)
the articular facet of a rib
faceted adjective
or facetted
ˈfa-sə-təd How to pronounce facet (audio)

Synonyms of facet

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of facet in a Sentence

Each facet of the problem requires careful attention. the different facets of our culture Which facet of his character is most appealing? the facets of a diamond
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There were plenty of times in this game tonight where Georgia felt like the better football team, in all facets. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 The piece incorporated several airy facets, most noticeably a white fabric softened by lacy detailing and delicate craftsmanship. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026 Stanford professor David Larcker, an author of the report, attributes the pullback to the public growing tired of politics seeping into every facet of American life. — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 The most gratifying facet of being an agent was guiding gifted artists through the maze of potential opportunities and pitfalls that constitute careers in Hollywood. — Rick Nicita, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for facet

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French facette "individual surface (of an object with many surfaces, as a gem)," going back to Middle French fasette, from face face entry 1 + -ette -ette

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of facet was in 1622

Phrases Containing facet

Rhymes for facet

See All Rhymes for facet

Browse Nearby Words

face string
facet
facete
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Facet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facet. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

facet

noun
fac·​et ˈfas-ət How to pronounce facet (audio)
1
: a small plane surface (as on a cut gem)
2
: a definable aspect of something
explained all facets of the company
3
: the surface of a functional unit of vision of a compound eye
faceted
ˈfas-ət-əd
adjective

Medical Definition

facet

noun
fac·​et ˈfas-ət How to pronounce facet (audio)
ˌfa-ˈset
: a smooth flat or nearly flat circumscribed anatomical surface
the articular facet of a bone
faceted adjective
or facetted
ˈfas-ət-əd How to pronounce facet (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on facet

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about facet

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All