noun
copycat
kah-pee-KAT
noun
1
A person who imitates someone else, often in an unoriginal or shameless way.
"Her little brother is such a copycat, he wants everything she has."
2
A criminal who copies a method used in a recent, often high-profile, crime.
"Police warned of copycat attacks after the incident made headlines."
adj
1
Imitative; done in direct imitation of something else.
"The market was flooded with copycat products."
How to Use Copycat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone (or something) that imitates another, often in a lazy or derivative way.
Common pairings
copycat crime
copycat killer
copycat product
Word Forms
more copycat comparative, copycatted past tense, copycats plural, copycats singular, most copycat superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “copycat”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her little brother is such a _____, he wants everything she has.
Etymology
American in origin, from copy plus cat, an old derogatory term for a person.