mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmi-mi-krē 

plural mimicries

1

a

: an instance of mimicking

b

: the action, practice, or art of mimicking

entertained his family with mimicry and comic skits

—Cynthia Ozick

2

: a superficial (see superficial sense 2b) resemblance of one organism to another or to natural objects among which it lives that secures it a selective advantage (such as protection from predation)

Examples of mimicry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His mimicry of the inflated language of marketing, bureaucratic euphemism, and hypertechnical mumbo jumbo finds the exact midpoint between amusing and appalling. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 24 Oct. 2024

This mimicry of the multi-step click-through process will eventually be replaced by direct agent-to-agent connections, possibly eliminating the need for websites altogether. —Timothy Papandreou, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024

The book’s constant mimicry of disposable digital expression makes for a tonal high-wire act. —Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024

In the rocky scrublands of western Iran and eastern Iraq, a cunning predator relies on masterful mimicry to capture its prey. —Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmim-i-krē 

plural mimicries

1

: the action, art, or an instance of mimicking

2

: a resemblance of one living thing to another or to natural objects among which it lives that gives it an advantage (as concealment or protection from predators)

Medical Definition

mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmim-i-krē 

plural mimicries

: an instance of mimicking something