imiter

Imiter is a rarely used English noun that denotes a person who imitates another person or thing. In contemporary usage, imitator is by far the common form, and imiter tends to appear mainly in historical texts, poetry, or dialect writing. The term shares meaning with mimic and impersonator, but imiter often implies the act of replication rather than the intent to deceive.

Etymology and form: The standard English agent noun for the verb imitate is imitator, from Latin imitator, from imitari “to imitate.” The form imiter is a rare variant, typically seen as archaic or stylistic. Most dictionaries treat imiter as obsolete or as a nonstandard alternative rather than a primary entry.

Usage notes: Because of its rarity, imiter can signal a historical or literary register. In modern writing, using imitator is generally preferred when referring to someone who imitates others. When discussing performance or entertainment, terms such as mimic, impersonator, or copyist may be more precise, depending on the context.

Examples: The actor was praised as an accomplished imiter of classic comedians. In the classroom, students studied the imiter’s technique to understand voice matching and timing.

See also: imitator, mimic, mimicry, impersonator, copyist.