Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery, Allegedly
To imitate is to copy the behaviour or style of someone else. The famous line about flattery has an author, and he was not being entirely kind.
To imitate is to copy someone's manner, method or appearance. The line everyone quotes — imitation is the sincerest form of flattery — comes from Charles Caleb Colton in 1820, and in context it is a wry remark about how little originality most admiration contains.
- To copy someone's behaviour or style. *Children imitate adults.*
- To mimic for effect. *He imitates the teacher perfectly.*
- To be made in the likeness of something. *Imitation leather.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | imitate | They imitate the style. |
| Past | imitated | Widely imitated. |
| Noun | imitation | A poor imitation. |
| Adjective | imitative | Imitative behaviour. |
| Person | imitator | A skilled imitator. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Infants imitate facial expressions within hours of birth.A well-studied finding.
- The bag is imitation leather.As a modifier it means not genuine.
- His style has been much imitated.Usually a compliment.
Ways of copying
- Imitate — copy behaviour or style
- Mimic — imitate closely, often to amuse or mock
- Emulate — try to match or surpass, admiringly
- Impersonate — pretend to be a particular person
- Plagiarise — copy work and present it as your own
From Latin *imitari*, to copy, related to *imago*, image. English took it in the sixteenth century, and *imitation* has carried a faint whiff of the second-rate ever since.
Imitate or emulate?
Imitating is copying the surface. Emulating is trying to match the achievement, and it implies effort and admiration.
Who said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery?
Charles Caleb Colton, in Lacon, published in 1820. His actual wording was that imitation is the sincerest of flattery.