Word
fig leaf
Definition
n. A small or flimsy thing used to hide something embarrassing or shameful.
n. A token or inadequate covering for something embarrassing, improper, or shameful; often a thin pretext that barely conceals the truth.
Examples
“The apology was just a fig leaf for doing nothing.”
“The new policy was a fig leaf, dressing up the layoffs in the softer language of restructuring.”
“The committee's supposedly independent review served as a fig leaf, lending the appearance of scrutiny to a decision that had already been made.”
Examples
simple
“The apology was just a fig leaf for doing nothing.”
contextual
“The new policy was a fig leaf, dressing up the layoffs in the softer language of restructuring.”
complex
“The committee's supposedly independent review served as a fig leaf, lending the appearance of scrutiny to a decision that had already been made.”
Etymology
The term goes back to Genesis 3:7. After eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve realise they are naked, and their first act is to sew fig leaves together to make coverings for themselves. It is the original inadequate cover-up: a hasty, improvised screen for something they suddenly want to hide. The detail lodged deep in Western art, where fig leaves were later painted or sculpted over nude figures to spare viewers' modesty.
That art-history habit sharpened the word's figurative sense. A fig leaf covers just enough to preserve appearances while everyone knows what lies behind it.
In English a fig leaf now means a token concealment, a flimsy pretext used to hide something embarrassing or improper while pretending it is dealt with. The word carries a note of transparency: the point is that the cover fools no one.
Original etymology written by Shinotoshi Nakamura.
Stories
Creation & the Fall · See all Biblical origin
Genesis 1–4: the making of the world, Eden, and the first family.
forbidden fruit — Illicit pleasure.
my brother's keeper — Responsible for the welfare of another person — most often used when denying that responsibility.
the mark of Cain — A visible stigma that marks someone out as guilty or disgraced.
let there be light — A phrase marking the start of something new, or a moment of sudden clarity.
by the sweat of your brow — Through hard physical labour and personal effort.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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