mimicry

American  

[mim-ik-ree] / ˈmɪm ɪk ri /

noun

• mimicries
  plural

1. the act, practice, or art of mimicking.

2. Biology. the close external resemblance of an organism, the mimic, to some different organism, the model, such that the mimic benefits from the mistaken identity, as seeming to be unpalatable or harmful.

3. an instance, performance, or result of mimicking.

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mimicry British  

/ ˈmɪmɪkrɪ /

noun

1. the act or art of copying or imitating closely; mimicking

2. the resemblance shown by one animal species, esp an insect, to another, which protects it from predators

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mimicry Scientific  

/ mĭm′ĭ-krē /

1. The resemblance of one organism to another or to an object in its surroundings for concealment or protection from predators.

2. See also aggressive mimicry Batesian mimicry Müllerian mimicry

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mimicries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of mimicry

First recorded in 1680–90; mimic + -ry

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Explanation

Mimicry is the art of imitation, which is practiced the world over, from annoying siblings who repeat every word you say, to professional comedians who impersonate famous people onstage. Mimicry comes from a Greek word for mime: a performer who silently imitates gestures and expressions. Usually mimicry refers to imitation that is meant to make fun of the thing imitated, often in an unkind way. Think of the class clown’s mimicry of your French teacher’s overly precise accent. It entertained the class, but got him sent to the principal’s office.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mimicry mimicries

Interest in the ruling has been high among voice actors in Japan, who worry AI mimicry of the tool of their trade will go a long way toward the decline of the storied industry.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

Arday said some errors in his early academic work arose because of his autism, as he relied on using mimicry to make sense of information.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Next the FDA should build a clear regulatory path that treats clinical results, not structural mimicry, as the standard for approval in relevant eCP cases.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

Later, explaining to his mom why he doesn’t have any friends his own age, Valdi purses his lips in a mimicry of the older men who would engulf him — a touchingly sad little detail.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

She uncorked the last of her father's mimicry solutions and pressed it to his mouth.

From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton

But she somehow progressed from entertaining her friends with mimicries to playing to paying houses.

From Time Magazine Archive

In private, her character is less appalling, though she is noted for her impudent mimicries of Moran & Mack, Maurice Chevalier, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, Groucho Marx.

From Time Magazine Archive

And there seemed to resound in her mind echoes of Captain Ross's voice at the Honeycomb—or were they echoes of Mrs. Newton's mimicries of Captain Ross?

From The Disturbing Charm by Berta Ruck

Foote was evading all law and order by his inimitable mimicries at the Little Theatre in the Haymarket; and for these performances at his "scandal-shop" is very properly brought up before Mr. Censor's Court.

From Henry Fielding: a Memoir by G. M. Godden

The last evening spent by Hetty in the drawing-room at the Hall was that one on which she had entertained the company with her mimicries.

From Hetty Gray Nobody's Bairn by Rosa Mulholland

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