doppelgänger

noun

dop·​pel·​gäng·​er ˈdä-pəl-ˌgaŋ-ər 

-ˌgeŋ-,

ˌdä-pəl-ˈgaŋ-,

-ˈgeŋ-

variants or doppelganger

1

a

: double sense 2a

said she had seen his doppelgänger

b

: alter ego sense 1b

c

: a person who has the same name as another

2

: a ghostly counterpart (see counterpart sense 3a) of a living person

Did you know?

According to German folklore, all living creatures have a spirit double who is invisible but identical to the living individual. These second selves are perceived as being distinct from ghosts (which appear only after death), and sometimes they are described as the spiritual opposite or negative of their human counterparts. German writers coined the word Doppelgänger (from doppel-, meaning "double," and -gänger, meaning "goer") to refer to such specters.

Synonyms

• alter ego
• carbon
• carbon copy
• clone
• counterpart
• double
• duplicate
• duplication
• facsimile
• fetch
• image
• likeness
• look-alike
• match
• mirror image
• picture
• replica
• ringer
• spit
• spitting image
• twin

Example Sentences

In the story, the character is haunted by a doppelgänger.

at the mall today I saw someone who could be your doppelgänger

Recent Examples on the Web

Its faux shearling exterior is crafted from a doppelganger synthetic polyester that boasts the texture and mimics the look of real shearling, but without harming any animals. —Saryn Chorney, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2023

The first feature-length sci-fi film, Metropolis (1927), features a robo-doppelganger that causes widespread mayhem. —Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, 6 Jan. 2023

Its toy doppelganger turns up the vibrancy a notch with more saturated colors and its signature toy brick texture. —Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2022

In his real-life career as a macro hedge fund investor betting on global economic trends, Thiel was somewhat less clairvoyant than his supposed fictional doppelganger. —Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2021

In Brazil, Trump’s doppelganger, Jair Bolsonaro, lost his bid for reelection. —Frida Ghitis, CNN, 6 Jan. 2023

Instead, she's accused of killing her doppelganger. —Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2023

Over the last 40 years, Bregman has starred on The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful as both Lauren and her doppelganger Sarah Smythe. —Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2023

The resemblance between the two is uncanny; West has often been called her mom's doppelganger, and even auntie Khloé Kardashian popped up in the comments to confirm it. —Kara Nesvig, Allure, 17 Jan. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

German Doppelgänger, from doppel- double + -gänger goer

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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