ersatz

er·satz

adjective \ˈer-ˌsäts, -ˌzäts, er-ˈ; ˈər-ˌsats\

Definition of ERSATZ

: being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation <ersatz turf> <ersatz intellectuals>

— ersatz noun

Examples of ERSATZ

1. an apartment complex designed as an ersatz Mediterranean villa
2. <like everything else the restaurant served, the whipped cream on the dessert was ersatz>

Origin of ERSATZ

German ersatz-, from Ersatz, noun, substitute

First Known Use: 1875

Related to ERSATZ

Synonyms

artificial, bogus, dummy, imitation, factitious, fake, false, faux, imitative, man-made, mimic, mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute, synthetic

Antonyms

genuine, natural, real

Related Words

cultured, manufactured, process; unauthentic; adulterated, designer, doctored, engineered, fudged, juggled, manipulated, tampered (with); concocted, fabricated; counterfeit, deceptive, forged, fraudulent, misleading, phony (also phoney); affected, brummagem, feigned, pinchbeck, pseudo, spurious

Near Antonyms

authentic, bona fide, legitimate, true; premium, quality, valuable; pure, unadulterated