mimicry
noun
mim·ic·ry
| \ ˈmi-mi-krē
\
\
plural mimicries
Definition of mimicry
1a
: 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
In the wild, the fish thankfully don’t have to be flung manually into the air lock; if all goes well, they’re attracted naturally through a combination of habitat mimicry and manipulation to enter the chamber on their own. — Aja Romano, Vox, "These unanswered questions are fueling speculation about the sex offender’s life and death.," 11 Aug. 2019 These stand-up comedians mostly engaged in mimicry and taunts. — Suraj Yengde, Quartz India, "In the politically impotent Indian comedy scene, Dalit humour is a class apart," 8 Aug. 2019 So what is the facial mimicry in sun bears even for? — Jake Buehler, National Geographic, "These bears mimic each other's faces as well as people do," 21 Mar. 2019 For those who knew her best, with many of her friends since early childhood, Victoria was a life-long prankster with a sense of humor and command of mimicry that could send her audience to the floor! — sun-sentinel.com, "Deaths in South Florida: 7/10," 10 July 2019 From the opening shot of Ophelia adrift in a river, in mimicry of Millais’s famous painting, the film seems to splash around in search of a suitable style. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, "“Yesterday” Wants to Hold Your Hand," 28 June 2019 The findings suggest that sophisticated social skills like facial mimicry aren’t limited to species that are inherently social. — Jake Buehler, National Geographic, "These bears mimic each other's faces as well as people do," 21 Mar. 2019 Elephants have been documented imitating the sounds of trucks and other animals, and parrots are literally synonymous with mimicry. — Quanta Magazine, "The Beasts That Keep the Beat," 22 Mar. 2016 Such skills would have required careful observation and mimicry, step-by-step instruction, and an ability to hold a long series of events in one’s mind—an incipient form of plot. — Ferris Jabr, Harper's magazine, "The Story of Storytelling," 10 Mar. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mimicry.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for mimicry
mimicry
noun
English Language Learners Definition of mimicry
: the activity or art of copying the behavior or speech of other people : the activity or art of mimicking other people
See the full definition for mimicry in the English Language Learners Dictionary
mimicry
noun
mim·ic·ry
| \ ˈmi-mi-krē
\
\
Kids Definition of mimicry
: a type of protection from predators in which one animal resembles the coloring, form, or behavior of another animal that is harmful or bad-tasting
mimicry
noun
mim·ic·ry
| \ ˈmim-i-krē
\
\
plural mimicries
Medical Definition of mimicry
: an instance of mimicking something
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