mimesis
[ mi-mee-sis, mahy- ]
/ mɪˈmi sɪs, maɪ- /
noun
Rhetoric. imitation or reproduction of the supposed words of another, as in order to represent his or her character.
(in literature, film, art, etc.)
- imitation of the real world, as by re-creating instances of human action and events or portraying objects found in nature: This movie is a mimesis of historical events.
- the showing of a story, as by dialogue and enactment of events.
Biology. imitation.
Zoology. mimicry.
Also mimosis. Pathology.
- the simulation, due to hysteria, of the symptoms of a disease.
- the simulation of the symptoms of one disease by another.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
Origin of mimesis
1540–50; < Greek mī́mēsis ‘imitation’, equivalent to mīmē- (variant stem of mīmeîsthai ‘to copy’) + -sis -sis
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
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British Dictionary definitions for mimesis
mimesis
/ (mɪˈmiːsɪs) /
noun
art literature the imitative representation of nature or human behaviour
- any disease that shows symptoms of another disease
- a condition in a hysterical patient that mimics an organic disease
biology another name for mimicry (def. 2)
rhetoric representation of another person's alleged words in a speech
Word Origin for mimesis
C16: from Greek, from mimeisthai to imitate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medicine definitions for mimesis
mimesis
[ mĭ-mē′sĭs, mī- ]
n.
The appearance of symptoms of a disease not actually present, often caused by hysteria.
Symptomatic imitation of one organic disease by another.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.