simulator

American  

[sim-yuh-ley-ter] / ˈsɪm jəˌleɪ tər /

noun

simulators plural

1. a person or thing that simulates.

2. a machine for simulating certain environmental and other conditions for purposes of training or experimentation.

   a flight simulator.

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simulator British  

/ ˈsɪmjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

1. any device or system that simulates specific conditions or the characteristics of a real process or machine for the purposes of research or operator training

   space simulator

2. a person who simulates

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Usage

What does simulator mean? A simulator is a program or machine that simulates a real-life situation, meaning that it creates a virtual version of it, often for the purpose of instruction or experiment, such as a flight simulator. Simulators are frequently used to train people in complicated and often dangerous tasks, such as performing surgery or flying an airplane. Simulators allow them to learn and gain experience in such tasks without the risks. Rarely, the word is also sometimes used to refer to a person who is simulating (faking) an action. Example: This flight simulator allows pilots to become comfortable with the controls without having to do so during an actual flight.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• simulators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of simulator

First recorded in 1825–35, simulator is from the Latin word simulātor imitator, counterfeiter. See simulate, -tor

Explanation

A machine that creates the realistic sensation that you're operating a vehicle is a simulator. Pilots practice flying planes using simulators long before they take the controls of a jumbo jet. You can think of a simulator as a device that mimics or simulates an experience, usually making it feel so real that you'd swear you were driving a car or flying an airplane. Many simulators are used in training people to operate vehicles or machinery, while others help teach medical students how to perform surgery, inject medication, and insert breathing tubes. In Latin, simulator means "copier or feigner," from the root similis, "resembling."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

simulator simulators

RPCS3, a well-known PlayStation simulator, is already inviting fans to help input their personal game archives and metadata into the virtual database.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Qantas pilots have started training on an A350 simulator in Sydney and with British Airways in Britain, the airline said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

During this visit, they became familiar with the driving simulator and other performance assessments to minimize learning effects during the study.

From Science Daily ● May 29, 2026

This is a sticky situation because Hamilton does not want to be seen to be criticising the simulator.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

At NASA’s High-Speed Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base—the place where pilot Chuck Yeager first cracked through the sound barrier in 1947— engineer John Perry manned an X-15 simulator.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

It’s a step up from the previous Starship test, which included deploying 20 Starlink simulators and two modified satellites.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

These simulators are essentially a highly sophisticated version of a computer game.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

New schools founded by the financial elite feature flight simulators and sailboats, while serving up organic Thai food.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

TGL is a high-tech, indoor golf league that uses simulators and real surfaces, founded by Woods, Rory McIlroy and Mike McCarley in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026

All the video games and flight simulators were dark.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein