mimicked

1.nounB2

Definition

someone whose talent is reproducing another person's voice, gestures, or way of moving, often for an audience

Example

Caleb is a talented mimic who can copy any celebrity's voice down to the smallest pause.

mimic + who-clause describing skill

The audience at the comedy club cheered when the mimic began his impression of the mayor.

Common collocations

talented mimic
skilled mimic
good mimic
natural mimic
professional mimic

Synonyms

impersonator
focuses on pretending to be a specific person, often for performances
copycat
informal and usually negative; suggests unoriginal copying rather than skill

Grammar Patterns

mimic + who-clause

Usage Note

Often used in entertainment contexts (comedy, theatre). The noun mimic has no separate plural form change — mimics.

Common Mistakes

The comedian is a good imitation.

The comedian is a good mimic.

'mimic' is the noun for a person; 'imitation' refers to the act or the copy itself.

mimickedpositive
more mimickedcomparative
most mimickedsuperlative

1.adjectiveC1

Definition

relating to the ability to copy the appearance, sounds, or behaviour of something else

Example

The parrot's mimic abilities let it copy over twenty different bird calls from the forest.

mimic + noun (abilities / skills / behaviour)

Anjali wrote her biology report on the mimic behaviour of the lyrebird in Australia.

Common collocations

mimic ability
mimic behaviour
mimic skills
mimic patterns
mimic strategies

Synonyms

imitative
broader, can apply to any kind of copying, not only biological
impersonating
limited to people copying other people; not used for animals or objects

Grammar Patterns

mimic + noun (ability/behaviour/skill)

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). The adjective mimic is less common than the verb form; in everyday speech, 'mimicking' is more frequent.

2.adjectiveC1

Definition

made from cheaper materials to look like a real building material or decorative item, especially for film sets, theatre props, or stage design

Example

For the period drama, craftsmen built mimic marble pillars using painted foam that weighed almost nothing.

mimic + building material (theatre/film-set context)

The prop master ordered several boxes of mimic gemstones for the treasure chest scene.

Common collocations

mimic marble
mimic stone
mimic gemstone
mimic brick
mimic wood panelling
mimic leather upholstery

Synonyms

imitation
the most common neutral word for copy products
mock
often used for architectural or stage elements (mock Tudor, mock fireplace)
fake
informal and slightly negative; suggests deception

Antonyms

genuine
the real, authentic article
authentic
formally verified as real

Grammar Patterns

mimic + noun (building material / decorative item — theatre/film context only)

Usage Note

Very rare and restricted to technical writing about theatre, film sets, and stage design. In everyday speech the synonyms 'fake', 'imitation', and 'mock' are far more natural (e.g. 'fake leather jacket', 'imitation marble', 'mock Tudor'). Learners should avoid using 'mimic' as an adjective in conversation — it will sound stilted or incorrect to most native speakers.

Common Mistakes

She wore a mimic diamond ring to the party.

She wore a fake / imitation diamond ring to the party.

'mimic' as an adjective meaning 'not real' is extremely rare; only use it in film-set or theatre-prop contexts.

I bought a mimic leather bag online.

I bought a faux leather / imitation leather bag online.

'mimic' is not used as a casual modifier for everyday products.

mimickedpresent simple I / you / we / they
mimickeds3rd person singular
mimickeding-ing form
mimickededpast simple

1.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to deliberately reproduce a particular person's speech or movements, either to get laughs or to tease them

Example

Daniel mimicked the coach's husky voice so well that the whole team burst out laughing.

mimic + [person]'s + [voice/mannerism]

Adina mimicked her little brother's whining tone to show him how annoying it sounded.

Common collocations

mimic someone's voice
mimic someone's accent
mimic someone's mannerisms
mimic perfectly
mimic exactly

Synonyms

imitate
broader and more neutral; can apply to sounds, actions, or styles without the mocking tone
copy
more general; does not specifically suggest voice or mannerisms
ape
implies clumsy or unthinking imitation; often negative
mock
emphasises the ridicule aspect more strongly

Grammar Patterns

mimic + [person]'s + [voice/mannerism/way of speaking]

Usage Note

Usually transitive — requires a direct object (the person or trait being copied). The tone ranges from playful to mocking depending on context.

Common Mistakes

He mimicked after the teacher.

He mimicked the teacher.

'mimic' is transitive; no preposition needed.

2.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

to produce a convincing copy of a sound, feeling, or appearance, especially through technology or design

Example

The flight simulator mimicked the feeling of landing a plane during a heavy thunderstorm.

mimic + feeling / sound / texture of [experience]

This software mimics the rich sound of a grand piano using digital recordings of each key.

Common collocations

mimic the sound of
mimic the feeling of
mimic the appearance of
mimic the texture of
mimic the effect of

Synonyms

simulate
more technical; emphasises reproducing a system or process accurately
reproduce
neutral; can apply to sounds, images, or physical effects

Grammar Patterns

mimic + [feeling/sound/appearance] of [thing]

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: the object here is a thing or effect (sound, light, texture), not a person. This sense is common in technology, gaming, and special-effects contexts.

3.verbtransitiveC1

Definition

(of an animal or plant) to resemble another living thing in appearance or behaviour as a survival strategy, especially to avoid predators

Example

The harmless moth mimics the colour pattern of a poisonous butterfly to discourage birds from attacking it.

mimic + [pattern/appearance] for survival / protection

This Southeast Asian orchid mimics the shape and smell of a female wasp to attract male wasps for pollination.

Common collocations

mimic the appearance of
mimic the colour of
mimic the behaviour of
mimic the smell of
evolved to mimic

Synonyms

resemble
weaker; does not imply that the resemblance serves a survival purpose
impersonate
usually for people; not used in biology

Grammar Patterns

mimic + [pattern/appearance] of [organism]

Usage Note

Confined to biology and natural science contexts. The subject is a species or organism, not a person or machine. The closely related noun is 'mimicry' (biological mimicry).

Word family

mimic
verbB2
mimic
nounB2
mimic
adjectiveC1
mimicry
nounB2
mimicker
nounC1
mimetic
adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe reproducing someone else's behaviour, but they differ in tone and scope. 'Imitate' is the broadest and most neutral — you can imitate a bird call, a painting style, or a person's walk without any negative judgement. 'Copy' is even more general and suggests reproducing something exactly, often without understanding or creativity. 'Mimic' focuses specifically on reproducing a person's voice, gestures, or mannerisms, usually to entertain or make fun. 'Ape' carries a stronger negative charge — it implies clumsy, unthinking imitation, like someone who copies a celebrity's every move without any originality. 'Mock' puts the emphasis on ridicule; when you mock someone, the purpose is to make them look foolish. In practice: a comedian mimics the president's way of speaking (entertaining imitation); a child apes an older sibling's rude gestures (mindless copying); rival politicians mock each other's proposals (deliberate ridicule).

imitate ↗copy ↗ape ↗mock ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

down to the smallest detail
for comic effect
in order to survive

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

From Latin 'mimicus', meaning 'of or relating to mimes', borrowed from Greek 'mimikos' (belonging to actors or imitators), which in turn comes from 'mimos' ('mime' or 'imitator'). The meaning has broadened from theatre performance to any kind of copying, including biological resemblance.

First known use

1596

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Adjective

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mimicked

mimicked — noun

1. someone whose talent is reproducing another person's voice, gestures, or way of

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

mimicked — adjective

1. relating to the ability to copy the appearance, sounds, or behaviour of somethin

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

2. made from cheaper materials to look like a real building material or decorative

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

mimicked — verb

1. to deliberately reproduce a particular person's speech or movements, either to g

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to produce a convincing copy of a sound, feeling, or appearance, especially thro

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. (of an animal or plant) to resemble another living thing in appearance or behavi

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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