Potemkin village
noun
Po·tem·kin village pə-ˈtem(p)-kən- 
: an impressive facade or show designed to hide an undesirable fact or condition
Word History
Etymology
Grigori Potëmkin, who supposedly built impressive fake villages along a route Catherine the Great was to travel
First Known Use
1904, in the meaning defined above
Potemkin village
noun
as in fig leaf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fig leaf
- Trojan horse
- blind
- screen
- shield
- disguise
- camouflage
- facade
- blanket
- veneer
- hood
- cope
- mask
- concealer
- covering
- veil
- penumbra
- shroud
- robe
- cloak
- wraps
- façade
- varnish
- mantle
- face
- curtain
- pall
- cover
- coverture
- gloss
- cover-up
- eat out
- eat out of one's hand
- eat out of someone's hand
- eat right
- eat run kill the clock
- eat run out the clock
- eat someone or something for lunch
- eat someone's lunch
- eat someone's or something's lunch
- eat something up
- eat up
- eat up kill the clock
- eat up out the clock
- eat up/run out/kill the clock
- eat/have someone or something for lunch
- eatable
- eatabler
- eatables
- eatablest
- eatage
- eatages
- eaten
- eaten (up)
- eaten alive
- eaten one's heart out