mimicry
Survival through resemblance
Mimicry is the act of imitating something else.
In biology, it describes how organisms evolve to resemble other species or their environment—a butterfly mimics a toxic species to deter predators, a stick insect mimics a twig.
More broadly, mimicry is any close imitation: His mimicry of the boss was spot-on.
The word suggests copying appearance or behavior rather than substance.
Concealment through visual blending
- crypticObscure in meaning
- protective colorationConcealing pigmentation for survival
- warning colorationConspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
- predationHunting and consuming prey
prey · survival · natural selection · evolution · adaptation · chameleon · octopus · cuttlefish
One who mimics another
- parrotSpeech-mimicking tropical bird
- echoReflected sound wave
- impersonationPretending to be another
- emulationCopying to rival
ape · mockery · impression · caricature · parody · spoof · lampoon · satire
Speech-mimicking tropical bird
- mynahSpeech-mimicking tropical bird
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- lyrebirdAustralian songbird famous for mimicry
- starlingGlossy gregarious passerine
songbird · birdsong · vocalization · call · birdcall · whistling · speech · talking bird
Gaining knowledge gradually
- imitationCopy of the original
- mirroringReproducing an image identically
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
- copyingReproducing something exactly
social learning · observation · infant · child development · gesture · expression · contagion · yawning
Temporarily holding position
- impersonationPretending to be another
- impressionEffect on the mind
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- comedyWork meant to amuse
stand-up · entertainer · celebrity · voice acting · characterization · Dana Carvey · ventriloquism · satirist
camouflage
Concealment through visual blending
- crypticObscure in meaning
- protective colorationConcealing pigmentation for survival
- warning colorationConspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
predation · prey · survival · natural selection · evolution · adaptation · chameleon · octopus · cuttlefish · stick insect
copycat
One who mimics another
- parrotSpeech-mimicking tropical bird
- echoReflected sound wave
- impersonationPretending to be another
emulation · ape · mockery · impression · caricature · parody · spoof · lampoon · satire · send-up
parrot
Speech-mimicking tropical bird
- mynahSpeech-mimicking tropical bird
- mockingbirdSound-copying songbird
- lyrebirdAustralian songbird famous for mimicry
starling · songbird · birdsong · vocalization · call · birdcall · whistling · speech · talking bird · echolalia
learning
Gaining knowledge gradually
- imitationCopy of the original
- mirroringReproducing an image identically
- modelingSimulating or demonstrating form
copying · social learning · observation · infant · child development · gesture · expression · contagion · yawning · empathy
acting
Temporarily holding position
- impersonationPretending to be another
- impressionEffect on the mind
- sketchHasty informal drawing
comedy · stand-up · entertainer · celebrity · voice acting · characterization · Dana Carvey · ventriloquism · satirist · roast
- animal signalsbody language, bird songs, tail wagging, mating calls, whale song
- parrot thingsmacaw, cockatoo, parakeet, colorful plumage, Polly
- coevolutioncoevolution, arms race, Red Queen hypothesis, cospeciation, predator-prey
- mimesisimitation, verisimilitude
- humorjoke, jokes, joking, comedy, comic
- interactionstalking, sharing, greeting, helping, listening
mimicryauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
originality · genuineness · sincerity · individuality · self-expression
mimicryinnovation
Creating something original
originality · original · invention · creation · creativity
mimicrywarning coloration
Conspicuous hues signaling unpalatability
conspicuousness · distinctiveness · display · uniqueness · advertisement
- Batesian mimicryHarmless copying harmful appearance
- voice mimicryCopying another's speech
- Müllerian mimicryToxic species resembling each other
- vocal mimicryCopying voices or sounds
- insect mimicryResembling other species defensively
- animal mimicryResembling another organism
mimic, mimicking, mimics, mimicked, mimicker, mimicries, mimickers