Faceted

Faceted is an adjective describing a surface or object composed of flat, planar faces called facets. It is commonly used in geometry, mineralogy, gemology, and design to indicate that a form is broken into discrete flat facets rather than being smooth.

In geometry and crystallography, a facet is a flat face of a polyhedron; a crystal can display multiple facets forming its external geometry. The arrangement of facets determines the object's overall silhouette and light interaction; in crystals, facets are specific crystallographic planes.

In jewelry and decorative objects, faceting refers to the cutting process that produces flat surfaces on gems, especially diamonds. Facets are arranged to optimize brilliance by directing light as it enters and exits the stone.

In information science and library science, faceted classification organizes items by multiple orthogonal attributes. Faceted search and faceted navigation allow users to filter results by several dimensions (for example, category, price, color, rating) simultaneously, improving findability.

In data modeling and software design, faceted metadata describes resources with multiple attributes; faceted interfaces present dynamic filters and views based on those attributes. Faceted approaches can enhance scalability by allowing independent extension of attributes.

In graphics and 3D printing, faceting converts curved surfaces into a mesh of polygons; the number of facets affects smoothness and rendering performance.