doppelgänger

Or Doppelgänger

[dop-uhl-gang-er, daw-puhl-geng-er]

noun

1. a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person.

doppelgänger

/ ˈdɒpəlˌɡɛŋə, ˈdɔpəlˌɡɛŋər /

noun

1. legend a ghostly duplicate of a living person

Word History and Origins

Origin of doppelgänger¹

First recorded in 1850–55; from German: literally, “double-walker,” from doppel double ( def. ) + Gänger “walker” (from Gang “motion, way” + -er -er ¹ ( def. ); gang ¹ ( def. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of doppelgänger¹

from German Doppelgänger, literally: double-goer

Example Sentences

As journalist Naomi Klein documented in her book "Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World," the pandemic gave rise to large numbers of people arguing that infectious disease is good because it supposedly culls the weak from the gene pool.

From Salon

That includes her turn as starship Capt. Philippa Georgiou and her Mirror Universe doppelganger on “Star Trek: Discovery.”

From Los Angeles Times

As the demands of these two facets of his life become overwhelming, he decides to hire a doppelgänger to take over his professional commitments.

From Los Angeles Times

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez is invited to appear in the live-action version of “The Incredibles” as her animated doppelganger: voluble, brilliant, bespectacled, fashion-forward Edna Mode.

From Los Angeles Times

“I have joked — and it’s not a bad comp — that we’re reaching for Merchant/Ivory doing Hammer Horror,” says Eggers, who staged a version of the Germanic “Dracula” doppelgänger in high school.

From Los Angeles Times