copy-cat

A child calls his friend a copy-cat for repeating his silly dance.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who imitates another's behavior, style, or actions without originality: "copy-cat" refers to someone who mimics another person, often in a way that is considered unoriginal or annoying.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She's such a copy-cat; she bought the exact same dress as me. (A person who imitates someone else's style.)
  • The child was called a copy-cat for repeating everything his older sister said. (A person who mimics speech or actions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to play copy-cat": to engage in imitative behavior, especially in children's games.

  • The younger kids were playing copy-cat with the older ones. (They were imitating the older children's actions.)

• "copy-cat crime": a crime committed in imitation of a previously publicized crime.

  • The police warned that the new robbery might be a copy-cat crime inspired by the news. (An imitation criminal act.)

Variants and Related Words

• Copycat (adj): relating to or characteristic of imitation.

  • The copycat version of the product was cheaper but of lower quality. (An imitation version.)

• Copy (v/n): to make a duplicate of something; a reproduction.

  • Please copy this document for me. (Verb: to duplicate.)

Synonyms

• Imitator: a person who copies another's behavior.
• Mimic: someone who copies the actions or speech of others.
• Emulator: a person who strives to equal or surpass another by imitation.

Related Idioms

• Monkey see, monkey do: used to describe someone who copies another's actions without thinking.

  • He just copied my dance moves — monkey see, monkey do! (A phrase for thoughtless imitation.)

• Follow like sheep: to blindly imitate others without independent thought.

  • The fans followed like sheep, wearing the same outfits as their idol. (To imitate without questioning.)