foil

noun

a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button

picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base

a device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through

anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities

a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal

verb

cover or back with foil

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

enhance by contrast

Roots

foliumfoil- · Latin · leaf

Synonyms for foil

thwartv bafflev laminationn platingn frustratev coatingn

Synonyms & related words for foil

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of foil — including thwart, baffle, lamination, plating, frustrate, coating. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to foil

Explore words related to foil — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include foilist, foilsman, fleuret, eglomise, tinfoil, foliature, mylar, papillote. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for foil

Common synonyms for foil include thwart, baffle, lamination, plating, frustrate, coating — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does foil come from?

The word foil breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root foil, from Latin folium (“leaf”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.