emulation

noun

em·​u·​la·​tion ˌem-yə-ˈlā-shən 

-yü-

1

: ambition or endeavor to equal or excel others (as in achievement)

2

a

: imitation

b

: the use of or technique of using an emulator

3

obsolete : ambitious or envious rivalry

emulative

ˈem-yə-ˌlā-tiv 

adjective

emulatively adverb

Examples of emulation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And what’s interesting sometimes is that nowadays there are digital emulations of almost every piece of equipment that’s ever been. —Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025

Spirals of violence can take on their own momentum, generating reciprocal cycles of emulation and revenge. —Robert A. Pape, Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2025

If a mental image only impedes the human’s process of emulation, why should her mindedness make Celmins’s web less natural than the spider’s? —Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025

Apple claims that the new Apple Sparse Image Format (ASIF) supports quicker disk reads and writes than existing formats, which should result in faster emulation of Windows systems on a Mac. —Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin aemulātiōn-, aemulātiō, from aemulārī "to vie with, rival, imitate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at emulate entry 1

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for emulation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

emulation

noun

em·​u·​la·​tion ˌem-yə-ˈlā-shən 

: the ambition or effort to emulate

emulative

ˈem-yə-ˌlāt-iv 

adjective