It's the Word of the Day podcast for July 9th.
Today's word is simulacrum spelled S-I-M-U-L-A-C-R-U-M Simulacrum is a noun.
A simulacrum is a superficial likeness of something, usually as an imitation copy or representation.
The plural of simulacrum is either simulacrums or simulacra.
Here's the word used in a sentence from the Robb report by Robert Ross.
Under the lid, there are no strings to move the air,
but rather speakers that create an uncanny simulacrum of a grand piano.
There is more than a crumb of similarity between the words simulacrum and simulate.
Both words come from simulare, a Latin verb meaning to pretend,
produce a fraudulent imitation of, imitate.
At the root of simulare is the Latin adjective similis,
which means having characteristics in common.
Many similar words trace back to similes,
hence the resemblance between simulacrum and familiar terms like simultaneous,
simile, and of course, similarity.
With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.