Imitation
/ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃən/noun
The act of copying or the thing that is copied.
Did you know?Imitation ultimately comes from Latin *imitārī*, a verb tied to copying behavior, and the same deep root helped shape words like *mime* and *mimic* — proof that humans have been performing reality since antiquity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mei-
“to change, exchange, or imitate”
Classical Latin
Latin
imitārī
“to copy, mimic, or emulate”
Late Latin
Latin
imitātiō
“an act of copying or imitation”
Old French
French
imitation
“imitation, copy, likeness”
Middle English
English
imitacioun
“the act of copying or a copied thing”
Modern English
English
imitation
“the act or result of copying something”