Potemkin village
Potemkin village
noun
a pretentiously showy or imposing façade intended to mask or divert attention from an embarrassing or shabby fact or condition.
Also, Potemkin Village.
Origin:
1935–40; after Prince Potëmkin, who allegedly had villages of cardboard constructed for Catherine II's visit to the Ukraine and the Crimea in 1787
1935–40; after Prince Potëmkin, who allegedly had villages of cardboard constructed for Catherine II's visit to the Ukraine and the Crimea in 1787
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To potemkin village
WordNet
| potemkin village | |
noun | |
| something that seems impressive but in fact lacks substance |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Cite This Source
00:10
Potemkin village
is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
| an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance. |
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