imitation

UK: /ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃən/ ,(im′i tā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

im•i•ta•tion /ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃən/   n. 

1. a result or product of imitating:
   [uncountable] Imitation is supposed to be a form of flattery.
2. the act of imitating;
   an impersonation:
   [countable] does imitations of famous political figures.
3. a counterfeit;
   copy:
   [countable] That jewel is just an imitation.

adj. [before a noun]

4. designed to imitate a genuine or superior article or thing:
   imitation leather.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

im•i•ta•tion  (im′i tā′shən), n. 

1. a result or product of imitating.
2. the act of imitating.
3. a counterfeit;
   copy.
4. a literary composition that imitates the manner or subject of another author or work.
5. Animal Behavior [Biol.] mimicry.
6. Psychology the performance of an act whose stimulus is the observation of the act performed by another person.
7. Sociology the copying of patterns of activity and thought of other groups or individuals.
8. Fine Art, Philosophy [Art.]
   • (in Aristotelian aesthetics) the representation of an object or an action as it ought to be.
   • the representation of actuality in art or literature.
9. Music and Dance the repetition of a melodic phrase at a different pitch or key from the original or in a different voice part.

adj. 

10. designed to imitate a genuine or superior article or thing:
    imitation leather.
11. Jewelry noting an artificial gem no part of which is of the true gemstone. Cf. assembled, synthetic (def. 5).

• Latin imitātiōn- (stem of imitātiō). See imitate, -ion
• Middle English 1350–1400

im′i•ta′tion•al, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

imitation / ˌɪmɪˈteɪʃən/ noun

1. the act, practice, or art of imitating; mimicry
2. an instance or product of imitating, such as a copy of the manner of a person; impression
3. a copy or reproduction of a genuine article; counterfeit
4. (as modifier): imitation jewellery
5. (in contrapuntal or polyphonic music) the repetition of a phrase or figure in one part after its appearance in another, as in a fugue

ˌimiˈtational adjective