To imitate someone's speech, movements, or mannerisms, often for entertainment or mockery.
From Latin mimus meaning 'mime actor', which came from Greek mimos. The word entered English in the 16th century, originally referring to theatrical performers who specialized in imitation.
Mimicry is so fundamental to human learning that we have dedicated brain cells called 'mirror neurons' that fire both when we perform an action and when we observe others performing it. This biological basis of mimicry explains why the word has remained so central to describing both human behavior and animal survival strategies.
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