What does mimesis mean?
Mimesis means imitation, representation, or the act of copying the form and appearance of something else. Its best-known use is in literary and artistic theory, where it describes the representation of reality through creative forms such as narrative, drama, painting, and sculpture. A work with a strong concern with mimesis attempts to make its subject seem recognisable and lifelike, even though artistic representation is always shaped by style, convention, and interpretation. The term can also describe imitation in a broader biological or psychological sense, as when an animal copies the behaviour of another animal. Mimesis is especially useful when discussing how art relates to the world it represents. It is a formal and largely academic term, but it provides a precise name for one of the central aims of representation across the arts.
nounMimesis is the imitation or representation of one form, image, or style through another. In literary and artistic theory, it refers to the representation of reality through artistic forms.
- The imitation or representation of one thing through another.
- In literary and artistic theory, the representation of reality or human actions through artistic forms.
- In biology and psychology, imitation of the observable characteristics or behaviour of another organism or person.
"The novel uses mimesis to portray ordinary life with remarkable precision."
"The painter achieved an extraordinary degree of mimesis, reproducing the landscape with startling accuracy."
"Early Greek drama developed mimesis through dialogue, gesture, and the representation of familiar human situations."
The plural is mimeses, pronounced with the stress on the first syllable and a final /ɪsɪz/.
"The essay compares different artistic mimeses of the ancient world."
Mimesis gave English the word mime, but its influence reaches far beyond stage performers: it names the ancient idea that art can represent life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mimesis come from?
Mimesis comes from Ancient Greek mīmēsis, meaning “imitation” or “representation,” and is derived from the verb mimeisthai, “to imitate.” The term was especially influential in ancient Greek aesthetics, where art was understood as an imitation of nature or human action. It later passed into Latin as mimesis and into English as a learned borrowing, with modern philosophical and literary use preserving its sense of representation.
How mimesis is actually used
The word is most common in literary theory, aesthetics, art history, and academic discussion. In these contexts, it is usually formal and may be contrasted with expression or abstraction. Its biological and psychological meanings are established but less frequent in general use.