- imitation (n.)
- c. 1400, "emulation; act of copying," from Old French imitacion, from Latin imitationem (nominative imitatio) "a copying, imitation," noun of action from past participle stem of imitari "to copy, portray, imitate," from PIE *im-eto-, from root *aim- "copy" (source also of Hittite himma- "imitation, substitute;" Latin imago "image," aemulus "emulous"). Meaning "an artificial likeness" is from c. 1600. As an adjective, from 1840.
