mimesis
Art imitating life
Mimesis is imitation or representation, especially in art and literature.
The term comes from Greek and appears in discussions of how art depicts reality—whether fiction mirrors life or transforms it.
In biology, mimesis refers to mimicry: one species evolving to resemble another for protection or advantage.
The novel's mimesis of working-class speech felt authentic.
Identical reproduction made
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- duplicateExact replica of original
- reproductionCopying or procreation
- facsimileExact reproduction of original
emulate · simulate · replicate · echo · recreate · counterfeit · forgery · reflection
Depiction or likeness
- realityWhat actually exists
- appearanceOutward visible form
- simulacrumImitative stand-in for reality
- PlatoGreek philosopher, academy founder
Aristotle · essence · illusion · truth · archetype · phenomenon · perception · ontology
Carrying out a task
- actingTemporarily holding position
- dramaTheatrical art or turmoil
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
- comedyWork meant to amuse
catharsis · Aristotle · representation · stage · audience · playwright · spectacle · illusion
Implied identity comparison
- analogyExplanatory likeness between things
- simileComparison via "as"
- allegorySymbolic tale with deeper meaning
- personificationAttributing humanity to non-humans
allusion · trope · figuration · description · vivid · imagery · narration · representation
Depiction or likeness
- realismAccepting things as they are
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- verisimilitudeAppearance of being factual
- trompe-l'oeilArt mimicking three dimensions
figurative · portraiture · still-life · landscape · lifelike · rendering · depiction · illusionism
Simulating or demonstrating form
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- imitationCopy of the original
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
- emulationCopying to rival
socialization · acquisition · behavior · development · social learning · role model · demonstration · practice
Concealment through visual blending
- protective colorationConcealing pigmentation for survival
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- predationHunting and consuming prey
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
morphology · phenotype · convergence · natural selection · warning coloration · masquerade · prey · predator
copy
Identical reproduction made
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- duplicateExact replica of original
- reproductionCopying or procreation
facsimile · emulate · simulate · replicate · echo · recreate · counterfeit · forgery · reflection · doppelganger
representation
Depiction or likeness
- realityWhat actually exists
- appearanceOutward visible form
- simulacrumImitative stand-in for reality
Plato · Aristotle · essence · illusion · truth · archetype · phenomenon · perception · ontology · idealism
performance
Carrying out a task
- actingTemporarily holding position
- dramaTheatrical art or turmoil
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
comedy · catharsis · Aristotle · representation · stage · audience · playwright · spectacle · illusion · naturalism
metaphor
Implied identity comparison
- analogyExplanatory likeness between things
- simileComparison via "as"
- allegorySymbolic tale with deeper meaning
personification · allusion · trope · figuration · description · vivid · imagery · narration · representation · verisimilitude
representation
Depiction or likeness
- realismAccepting things as they are
- naturalismWorldview excluding the supernatural
- verisimilitudeAppearance of being factual
trompe-l'oeil · figurative · portraiture · still-life · landscape · lifelike · rendering · depiction · illusionism · photorealism
modeling
Simulating or demonstrating form
- observationAttentive watching or remark
- imitationCopy of the original
- apprenticeshipLearning trade through employment
emulation · socialization · acquisition · behavior · development · social learning · role model · demonstration · practice · internalization
camouflage
Concealment through visual blending
- protective colorationConcealing pigmentation for survival
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- predationHunting and consuming prey
survival · morphology · phenotype · convergence · natural selection · warning coloration · masquerade · prey · predator · deception
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
- performanceballet, theatre, acting, circus, concert
- Greek conceptslogos, ethos, pathos, hubris, arete
- literary termsmetaphor, character analysis, symbolism, prologue, epilogue
- art criticismart criticism, review, art critic, critique, analysis
- Classical Aestheticssymmetry, proportion, harmony, balance, beauty
mimesisabstraction
Distilling to essential qualities
abstract expressionism · formalism · expressionism · fantasy · imagination
mimesisnarration
Verbal account delivery
telling · exposition · summary · description · reportage
mimesisoriginality
Novel creative quality
innovation · invention · creation · origination · imagination
mimic, mime, mimicry, mimicking, mimicked, mimetic, mimicker