Definition

1. Noun:
   • A counterfeit or sham; something that is not genuine or authentic.
   • A hairpiece; a covering or bunch of human or artificial hair used for disguise or adornment.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Counterfeit):

  • The supposed antique was revealed to be a postiche.
  • His charming personality turned out to be a postiche, hiding his true nature.

• Noun (Hairpiece):

  • The actor wore a postiche to portray the historical character accurately.
  • She purchased an elegant postiche to add volume to her hairstyle for the wedding.

Advanced Usage

• "Literary postiche": Used in literary criticism to describe a work that is an imitation or pastiche, lacking originality.
  • The novel was dismissed by critics as a mere postiche of the author's earlier, more successful work.

Variants and Related Words

• Posticheur (n, rare): A maker or seller of hairpieces or wigs.
• Postichage (n, rare): The act of applying a hairpiece; the art of wig-making.

Synonyms

• Counterfeit: An imitation intended to be passed off as genuine.
• Forgery: A fake or falsification, especially of a document or work of art.
• Wig: A covering for the head made of real or artificial hair.
• Hairpiece: A patch or bunch of false hair; a toupee.

Related Phrases

• "A postiche of manners": A phrase describing affected or artificial behavior.
  • His aristocratic accent was nothing but a postiche of manners.

Notes on Meaning

The word postiche carries two distinct but related meanings. Both center on the concept of an artificial addition or a false substitute. The first meaning is broader, referring to any sham or counterfeit object. The second meaning is more specific to the domain of personal adornment, referring specifically to artificial hair. The common thread is the idea of something added to create a deceptive or enhanced appearance.

Noun

1. something that is a counterfeit; not what it seems to be
2. a covering or bunch of human or artificial hair used for disguise or adornment