Simulacrum

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪmjəˌɫækˈɹəm/

Simulacrum (noun)

  1. An image or object that looks real but is only a copy, not the original thing.
  2. A representation that replaces the real meaning, so people treat the copy as if it were the real thing.
  3. In theory, something that stands in for reality but does not truly connect to it.

Examples

  • The painting looked like a simulacrum of the original.
  • A simulacrum can mislead people about what is real.