impressioners

Impressioners is the plural form of impressioner, a term with few fixed uses in modern English. In contemporary usage, the most common sense refers to someone who performs impersonations—imitations of the voices, mannerisms, and appearances of real people or fictional characters—for entertainment. Impressioners, often called impersonators or impressionists, may work in stand-up, television, film, radio, or online media. They study target figures to reproduce distinctive speech patterns, gestures, and clothing, and frequently tailor material for satire or homage. Some specialize in voice-only impressions, while others aim for full character likenesses through makeup or costumes.

A second, rarer sense of impressioner is a crafts or manufacturing term: a person who makes an impression in a physical medium, such as creating a mold, stamp, or relief. In printmaking, sculpture, or dental and industrial contexts, more precise terms such as moldmaker or engraver are preferred, and the general use of impressioner is uncommon today. Because of this ambiguity, the word impressioner is typically avoided in professional writing in favor of impersonator, impressionist, or the specific craft term needed.

Historically, the term has appeared sporadically in descriptions of artists or craftsmen who specialized in impressions, but it has not established a fixed dictionary sense. See also impersonator, impressionist, parody.