doppelgänger

A doppelgänger is a non-biological double or look-alike of a living person. The term comes from German, combining doppelt (double) and Gänger (goer or walker). In English usage, it describes someone who bears a striking resemblance to another person, often without any familial relation.

In folklore and popular imagination, the doppelgänger is frequently treated as an omen or a sign of bad luck, illness, or death. Many traditions portray the double as a supernatural or malevolent counterpart, whose appearance foreshadows misfortune or foretells a future event. The motif reflects deeper concerns about fate, identity, and the boundaries between self and other.

Beyond superstition, the doppelgänger has become a central literary and cultural device. In 19th-century Romantic and Gothic fiction, the double is used to explore duality, hidden desires, and the conflict between outward appearance and inner life. Notable examples include the Doppelgänger motif in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Double and various works by E. T. A. Hoffmann, as well as later novels and films that emphasize mirrored selves or undercover identities. In contemporary usage, a doppelgänger commonly refers to anyone who resembles someone else closely, including celebrities or strangers encountered in daily life.

In psychology and popular discussion, the term can also describe experiences of autoscopy or perceived duplication of the self, though such uses are informal and not clinical diagnoses. Overall, the concept of the doppelgänger bridges folklore, literature, and modern culture as a symbolic reflection on identity, self-perception, and the uncanny.