What does knockoff mean?
A knockoff is a product, design, or object that imitates a better-known or more valuable original. The word is especially common for inexpensive copies of branded clothing, accessories, electronics, and luxury goods, and it often suggests both lack of authorization and lower quality. A knockoff can be a physical copy, but it may also describe any close substitute, such as a hotel that imitates the style of a famous resort. In informal and commercial contexts, “knockoff” is often more vivid than “copy” because it conveys the impression of passing something off as the original. The term is sometimes used loosely, so in legal discussions “counterfeit,” “trademark imitation,” or “infringing copy” may be more exact.
An unauthorized imitation or counterfeit of a product, design, or other object, especially one made to resemble a valuable or successful original.
"Customs officers seized thousands of knockoffs of the luxury brand."
The word commonly carries a negative connotation because knockoffs are often inferior as well as unauthorized.
Denoting an imitation, counterfeit, or close substitute of an established product or design.
"The website was shut down for selling knockoff sneakers."
This attributive use is common before nouns such as “goods,” “products,” “designer items,” and brand names.
The plural is used for individual imitation products or items; it is also common in the general sense of counterfeit goods.
"The shop was raided for selling knockoffs of popular sportswear."
A knockoff copies the appearance of the original, but the word usually carries an implied judgment: it is not merely similar, but an imitation made without authorization.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does knockoff come from?
The word combines “knock” and “off,” drawing on the verb “knock off,” which has long included the sense of imitating or making an imitation. In the compound “knockoff,” the idea is a product made by copying another, typically without permission. Its modern use developed during the period of expanding mass production and branded consumer goods.
How knockoff is actually used
The word is common in general and commercial English, especially in relation to branded goods, fashion, and consumer products. It often implies inferior quality as well as unauthorized imitation, although that negative connotation is not always present. In legal contexts, “counterfeit” or “infringing copy” may be more precise.
Easily confused with knockoff
A copy may be an authorized reproduction or simply a duplicate, whereas a knockoff is generally an unauthorized imitation made to resemble an original.