mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmi-mi-krē 

plural mimicries

1

a

: an instance of mimicking

b

: the action, practice, or art of mimicking

entertained his family with mimicry and comic skits

—Cynthia Ozick

2

: a superficial (see superficial sense 2b) resemblance of one organism to another or to natural objects among which it lives that secures it a selective advantage (such as protection from predation)

Examples of mimicry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Its plan to replicate USAID suggests that Moscow’s mimicry is only just beginning. —Tetiana Kotelnykova, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025

Large language models, or LLMs, offer a convincing mimicry of human thinking, but aren’t actually doing so, Robison and Sheneman said. —Idaho Statesman, 13 Oct. 2025

This is a moment that rewards clarity over speed, discipline over mimicry, and judgment over delegation. —Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 1 Oct. 2025

In addition, some organisms use ant mimicry as camouflage to infiltrate ant colonies. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1671, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmim-i-krē 

plural mimicries

1

: the action, art, or an instance of mimicking

2

: a resemblance of one living thing to another or to natural objects among which it lives that gives it an advantage (as concealment or protection from predators)

Medical Definition

mimicry

noun

mim·​ic·​ry ˈmim-i-krē 

plural mimicries

: an instance of mimicking something