doppelgänger

or Doppelgänger

[dop-uh l-gang-er; German daw-puh l-geng-er]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR doppelgänger ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person.

Origin of doppelgänger

1850–55; < German: literally, double-walker

Also called doubleganger.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for doppelganger

apparition, spirit, double

Examples from the Web for doppelganger

Contemporary Examples of doppelganger

So she embarked on a quest to find her Palestinian doppelganger.
Israel, Hamas, WhatsApp and Hacked Phones in the Gaza Psy-War
Itay Hod
July 26, 2014
He says the character of Matt is, in a way, his doppelganger.
Max Friedlich, Teenage Playwright, Dazzles With Controversial ‘SleepOver’
Ramin Setoodeh
August 24, 2012
Bogosian talked to The Daily Beast about his dark Rothian doppelganger.
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Jerk
Lizzie Stark
May 5, 2009

Historical Examples of doppelganger

Mr. Westfall began to watch for Louise and to trot after her like a doppelganger.
Danger! A True History of a Great City's Wiles and Temptations
William Howe

British Dictionary definitions for doppelganger

doppelgänger

noun

legend a ghostly duplicate of a living person

Word Origin for doppelgänger

from German Doppelgänger, literally: double-goer

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for doppelganger

1830, from German Doppelgänger, literally "double-goer," originally with a ghostly sense. See double + gang (n.). Sometimes half-anglicized as doubleganger.