What does simulation mean?
A simulation is a representation of a real or imagined person, object, process, or environment. It may be a physical model, a mathematical description, a computer program, or a staged situation designed to reproduce particular features of an original system. Simulations are used in science and engineering to test designs without building them, in training to prepare people for situations that may be dangerous or difficult to reproduce, and in entertainment to create interactive or visual worlds. The word can also carry the connotation of imitation rather than reality, as in a simulation of a society. In computing, simulation emphasizes modeling a system’s behavior, while closely related terms such as emulation often focus on reproducing another system for compatibility or practical use.
nounA simulation is a model, representation, or imitation of a real or imagined system used for study, experimentation, training, or entertainment. In computing, it is a program or environment that imitates the behavior of a system, process, or situation.
- The act or process of simulating something.
- A model or representation that imitates a real or imagined system, process, or environment.
- A computer program or virtual environment that imitates the behavior of a system for study, training, experimentation, or entertainment.
"The flight simulator provides a realistic simulation of an aircraft cockpit for trainee pilots."
"Researchers used a simulation to estimate how the proposed dam might affect the river over several decades."
"The historical simulation allows visitors to explore the city as it appeared during the 1920s."
The plural is used for multiple models, representations, or computational environments.
"The team developed several simulations to compare different design options."
From a Latin word meaning “pretend,” simulation has evolved into the science of recreating reality so precisely that people can learn, test, or play inside it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does simulation come from?
The word comes through French simulation from Latin simulatio, a noun derived from simulare, “to imitate, represent, or pretend.” The underlying Latin root simulus means “like” or “resembling,” and also contributed to forms such as simulate, simulator, and simulacrum. In English, the word was initially associated with pretence or representation before becoming especially prominent in scientific, military, and computational contexts.
Related word forms
How simulation is actually used
The word is common in academic, technical, educational, and entertainment contexts. It can suggest either an approximate representation or, especially in computing and engineering, a carefully calibrated model intended to reproduce relevant features accurately.
Easily confused with simulation
A simulation imitates the behavior of a system for analysis or experimentation, whereas an emulation specifically reproduces another system so that existing software or hardware can function similarly.