pəˈtem(p)kə̇n- noun
Usage: usually capitalized P
Etymology: after Grigori A. Potemkin died 1791 Russ. statesman; from the story that Potemkin once had impressive fake villages built along a route that Catherine the Great was to travel
: an imposing or pretentious facade or display designed to obscure or shield an unimposing or undesirable fact or condition : false front
the visitors are shown no Potemkin villages but allowed to see things as they are