ersatz
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er·satz
(ĕr′zäts′, ĕr-zäts′)adj.
1. Being a usually inferior imitation or substitute; artificial: ersatz coffee made of chicory.
2. Not genuine; fake: "Popularity was an intoxicant ... reporters began to ask for interviews and I gave them in an ersatz accent" (Maya Angelou).
[German, replacement, from ersetzen, to replace, from Old High German irsezzan : ir-, out; see ud- in Indo-European roots + sezzan, to set; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]
er′satz′ n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ersatz
(ˈɛəzæts; ˈɜː-)adj
made in imitation of some natural or genuine product; artificial
n
an ersatz substance or article
[C20: German, from ersetzen to substitute]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
er•satz
(ˈɛr zɑts, -sɑts, ɛrˈzɑts, -ˈsɑts)adj.
1. serving as a substitute; synthetic; artificial: ersatz coffee made from grain.
n. 2. an artificial substitute for something natural or genuine.
[1870–75; < German Ersatz a substitute (derivative of ersetzen to replace)]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ersatz
A German word meaning substitute, used to describe something artificial or imitation.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | ersatz - an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation substitute, replacement - a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another |
Adj. | 1. | ersatz - artificial and inferior; "ersatz coffee"; "substitute coffee" artificial, unreal - contrived by art rather than nature; "artificial flowers"; "artificial flavoring"; "an artificial diamond"; "artificial fibers"; "artificial sweeteners" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
ersatz
adjective artificial, substitute, pretend, fake, imitation, synthetic, bogus, simulated, sham, counterfeit, spurious, phoney or phony (informal) an electric fire with ersatz logs
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
ersatz
nounAn inferior substitute imitating an original:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
ersatz
n → Ersatz m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995