What does "mimic" mean?
A person who practices mimicry; especially:; A mime.
Mimic
/ˈmɪm.ɪk/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who practices mimicry; especially:; A mime.
- Grammar: mimic is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: mimicker, act, act a part, act as.
- Useful contrasts: authentic, create, genuine.
- Usage evidence: Irene Pepperberg, a researcher at Northwestern University, is discovering that a parrot can not only mimic people but also learn the meaning of words.
How to use "mimic"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "mimic" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "mimic" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "mimic" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "mimic" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "mimic" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mimicker" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "mimic", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who practices mimicry; especially:; A mime.
- 2 someone who mimics (especially an actor or actress) wordnet
- 3 A person who practices mimicry; especially:; A comic who does impressions.
- 4 An entity that mimics another entity, such as a disease that resembles another disease in its signs and symptoms; see the great imitator.
- 5 An imitation.
"Jess jumped slightly at hearing Tillyʼs extremely accurate mimic of her voice."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A fictional monster able to disguise itself as an inanimate object, commonly a treasure chest, often with the intent of luring adventurers into a trap.
Verb
- 1 To imitate, especially in order to ridicule. transitive
"An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine."
- 2 imitate (a person or manner), especially for satirical effect wordnet
- 3 To take on the appearance of another, for protection or camouflage. transitive
Adjective
- 1 Pertaining to mimicry; imitative. not-comparable
"I think every man is cloied and wearied, with seeing so many apish and mimicke trickes, that juglers teach their Dogges, as the dances, where they misse not one cadence of the sounds or notes they heare[…]."
- 2 Mock, pretended. not-comparable
- 3 Imitative; characterized by resemblance to other forms; applied to crystals which by twinning resemble simple forms of a higher grade of symmetry. not-comparable
Adjective
- 1 constituting an imitation wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Irene Pepperberg, a researcher at Northwestern University, is discovering that a parrot can not only mimic people but also learn the meaning of words."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "mimic"?
Common synonyms include: mimicker, act, act a part, act as, act out, actor.
How do you use "mimic" in a sentence?
Irene Pepperberg, a researcher at Northwestern University, is discovering that a parrot can not only mimic people but also learn the meaning of words.
How do you pronounce "mimic"?
Pronounced /ˈmɪm.ɪk/.
Etymology
From Latin mīmicus, from Ancient Greek μῑμικός (mīmikós, “belonging to mimes”), from μῖμος (mîmos, “imitator, actor”); see mime.