What does imitation mean?
Imitation is the act of copying someone or something, especially another person's appearance, voice, manner, or creative style. It can also denote a reproduced or counterfeit object designed to resemble an authentic or more valuable one. In social and artistic contexts, imitation may be harmless, affectionate, or admiring, as when a comedian imitates a well-known performer. It can be negative when it suggests a superficial or misleading copy. The word is also widely used in product descriptions such as imitation leather, imitation gold, and imitation food, where it identifies something made in the appearance of the genuine article without claiming equal quality. As a countable noun, imitation commonly appears in phrases such as an imitation of a person or an in imitation of an established style. Historically, the term focused on following a model; its modern sense of a counterfeit developed from that broader idea of copying and substituting.
nounAn act of copying the behaviour, appearance, style, or characteristics of someone or something. The word can also refer to a substitute or counterfeit made to resemble something more valuable or authentic.
- An act of copying another person's behaviour, appearance, or style.
- A likeness or reproduction produced by copying something.
- A counterfeit or substitute intended to pass as an authentic or more valuable object.
"His imitation of the old professor's manner was both affectionate and remarkably convincing."
"The young actor's imitation of his father soon became a feature of the performance."
"The market sells imitation pearls to visitors who cannot afford the genuine article."
The plural is used for separate acts of copying and for individual counterfeit or substitute objects.
"The collection contains several close imitations of the original manuscript."
From the same Latin root as imitate, imitation began as the act of following a model before it came to mean a fake or substitute.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of imitation
Imitation entered English from French, which borrowed it from Latin imitatio, a noun derived from imitari, meaning “to follow” or “copy.” In English, the word dates from the Middle English period and initially referred to the act or result of copying another person or work. Its later development into a noun for a counterfeit or substitute reflects the established modern distinction between a copy and the authentic original.
Related word forms
How imitation is actually used
The noun is countable and commonly introduced by an indefinite article or by the preposition of. It may be neutral when describing artistic copying or imitation, but it can be derogatory when referring to a counterfeit or a superficial copy.