The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Facade \Fa`[,c]ade"\ (f[.a]`s[.a]d" or f[.a]`s[=a]d"), n. [F.,
   fr. It. facciata, fr. faccia face, L. facies. See Face.]
   (Arch.)
   The front of a building; esp., the principal front, having
   some architectural pretensions. Thus a church is said to have
   its fa[,c]ade unfinished, though the interior may be in use.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

facade
    n 1: the face or front of a building [syn: facade, frontage,
         frontal]
    2: a showy misrepresentation intended to conceal something
       unpleasant [syn: facade, window dressing]