English Reference

Word

fascia

Phoneticsfas·cia

UK/fˈeɪʃiɐ/

Definitions

01connective tissue

C1 · Medicine

n. a thin layer of strong tissue under the skin that covers and holds your muscles and organs together.

n. a sheet or band of fibrous connective tissue enveloping, separating, or binding together muscles, organs, and other soft structures of the body.

“The athlete suffered a tear in the fascia surrounding his calf muscle.”

“Chronic inflammation of the plantar fascia can lead to significant heel pain, often requiring physical therapy to restore mobility.”

Technical

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the tissue type, but countable when referring to specific anatomical layers.

Synonyms

connective tissuemembrane

02shop sign

C1

n. the long, flat board above a shop entrance that shows the name of the business.

n. the flat surface or signboard situated above a shop window or entrance, typically displaying the name and branding of the establishment.

“The new café installed a bright wooden fascia to attract customers from the street.”

“The local council issued guidelines requiring all shop fascias in the historic district to use traditional lettering and muted colours.”

British English

Synonyms

signboardsign

03car dashboard

C2

n. the panel in a car that holds the dials and controls.

n. the instrument panel or dashboard of a motor vehicle, particularly the decorative or functional surface facing the driver.

“The vintage car had a beautiful polished walnut fascia.”

“Modern automotive design often integrates touch-sensitive controls directly into the fascia, replacing traditional physical buttons and dials.”

British English · Technical

Synonyms

dashboardinstrument panel

04roofing board

C2

n. a long board used to cover the ends of the roof rafters where the gutters are attached.

n. a vertical frieze or band under a roof edge, or which forms the outer surface of a cornice, often used to support gutters.

“We need to replace the rotting fascia boards before we install the new gutters.”

“The architect specified aluminium fascia to ensure long-term durability against the coastal salt air, which quickly degrades standard timber trim.”

Technical

Synonyms

fascia boardfrieze

05appliance cover

C1

n. the front cover or face of an electronic device, like a phone or a microwave.

n. the front-facing panel or decorative cover of an appliance or electronic device.

“You can snap off the front fascia of this phone to change its colour.”

“The technician removed the plastic fascia to access the internal wiring of the control module.”

Technical

Synonyms

faceplatecasing

Real-World Examples

“The front fascia is simply laid out, with a couple of bigger buttons for pouring single or double shots.”
The Guardian · 2 Sept 2026
“Press a button on the shiny fascia, and it’ll whip milk into a hot, silken froth perfect for a cappuccino or flat white.”
The Guardian · 19 Aug 2026

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fascia (“a band, bandage, swathe”). Related to fascēs (“bundle of rods containing an axe with the blade projecting”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰask- (“bundle, band”). Cognate with fajita, fess, and fascism.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Anatomy

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference