Lifelike
/ˈlaɪf.laɪk/noun
Resembling a living person or thing in appearance or behavior.
Did you know?Lifelike is a straightforward English compound, but it taps into a very old human obsession: making objects seem animated, a theme that also powers words like glamour and spell.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
līf
“life; living existence”
Old English
OE
-līc
“having the form or likeness of; like”
Middle English
ME
liflik
“having the appearance of life; vivid, living-like”
16th Century
English
lifelike
“resembling life in appearance or movement”
Modern English
English
lifelike
“realistic enough to seem alive”