replica

noun

rep·​li·​ca ˈre-pli-kə 

1

: an exact reproduction (as of a painting) executed by the original artist

A replica of this was painted … this year.

—Constance Strachey

2

: a copy exact in all details

DNA makes a replica of itself

sailed a replica of the Viking ship

broadly : copy

… this faithful, pathetic replica of a Midwestern suburb …

—G. F. Kennan

Synonyms of replica

• image
• twin
• clone
• picture
• duplicate
• portrait
• counterpart

Choose the Right Synonym for replica

reproduction, duplicate, copy, facsimile, replica mean a thing made to closely resemble another.

reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

a duplicate of a house key

copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

a facsimile of a rare book

replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details

a replica of the Mayflower

but not always in the same scale.

miniature replicas of classic cars

Examples of replica in a Sentence

We toured a replica of the ship.

It's an authentic replica of an ancient Greek urn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Today’s replica ’80s boomboxes are very similar in style. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026

Sunday, Jones officially joined to the Galaxy’s statue club, joining David Beckham and Landon Donovan with bronze replicas in the Legends Plaza at Dignity Health Sports Park. —Damian Calhoun, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026

For modern high-performance structural uses, an exact replica of nacre might even be undesirable because those organic silk proteins would lose their structure at high temperatures. —Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026

Apparently, plans are underway to open a replica of the cave for the general public, but Herzog beats them to the punch by putting this natural museum on the big screen. —Eric Kohn, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "repetition, reply, copy of a work of art," noun derivative of replicare "to repeat, reply," borrowed from Latin replicāre "to turn back on itself, bend back, go over (a thought, topic) repeatedly" (Late Latin also "to restore, repeat, reply") — more at replicate entry 1

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

replica

noun

rep·​li·​ca ˈrep-li-kə 

1

: a close reproduction especially by the maker of the original

2

: a copy exact in all details : duplicate