replica

replica — noun

1. an object created to look exactly the same as another object, especially one tha

1.nounB2
Definition

an object created to look exactly the same as another object, especially one that is old, famous, or valuable

Example

The museum bought a replica of a Ming dynasty vase for classroom demonstrations.

replica + of [original object]

Emre received a small replica of the Statue of Liberty for his birthday.

Common collocations
  • exact replica
  • replica of
  • life-size replica
  • scaled replica
  • miniature replica
Synonyms
  • copy

    wider meaning; can be less exact than a replica

  • reproduction

    focuses on art or antiques; may differ in size or material

  • duplicate

    exact copy made by the original process or from the same mould

  • model

    often scaled down or made from different materials

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

replica + of [original object]

Usage Note

Object is nearly always a concrete, physical item — a statue, vehicle, building, or piece of furniture. Frequently follows the pattern 'a replica of [the original object]'.

Common Mistakes

I saved a replica of the file on my computer.
I saved a copy of the file on my computer.
A replica is a physical object made to look like another; digital files take 'copy'.
She wore a replica of her mother's dress.
She wore a copy of her mother's dress.
Clothing reproductions use 'copy' unless a faithful three-dimensional reconstruction is meant.

2. an object made with great skill to accurately reproduce every material and detai

2.nounB2
Definition

an object made with great skill to accurately reproduce every material and detail of the original, often for collecting, display, or study

Example

Wren collects working replicas of antique pistols from the 1800s.

adjective + replica (working replicas)

The watchmaker created an accurate replica of a 1920s pocket watch for the film.

Common collocations
  • accurate replica
  • faithful replica
  • detailed replica
  • authentic replica
  • working replica
Synonyms
  • facsimile

    formal term for an exact copy, especially of a document or image

  • clone

    informal; used for living organisms or software, not objects

  • double

    usually refers to a person who looks like another

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

adjective + replica

Usage Note

Distinguish from the EXACT COPY sense (noun/1): this sense emphasises the precision and craftsmanship of the copy rather than merely the fact that it is not the original. Common in collecting, prop-making, and museum display contexts.

Common Mistakes

That photocopy is a perfect replica of the letter.
That photocopy is a perfect copy of the letter.
For flat documents, 'facsimile' or 'copy' is preferred; 'replica' suggests a three-dimensional object.
Your recipe is a replica of Grandma's.
Your recipe is a copy of Grandma's.
Recipes and other non-physical things are not replicas.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something that resembles an original, but they differ in scope and emphasis. 'Copy' is the broadest — any file, drawing, or object that is meant to be like the original, though the accuracy may vary. 'Replica' is narrower: it implies a physical object made with care to look exactly like the original, especially one that is famous, old, or valuable. 'Reproduction' typically applies to art, furniture, or antiques made commercially to look like older pieces; it may use different materials or skip some finer details to keep costs low. 'Duplicate' means an exact second version, often created by the same process or from the same mould — think of a duplicate key or a duplicate photograph. 'Model' can be a smaller or simplified version made from different materials, such as a plastic model of a car; a model need not be exact in every detail. For example, a museum may display a 'replica' of a Ming vase for touching; a furniture shop sells a 'reproduction' of a Victorian chair; a locksmith cuts a 'duplicate' key; and a child builds a 'model' of a spaceship.

copy ↗reproduction ↗duplicate ↗model ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • replica of
  • exact replica of
  • faithful replica of

Prepositions

Etymology

ItalianLatinEnglish

The word 'replica' entered English in the early 1800s from Italian, where 'replica' originally meant 'a reply' or 'a repetition'. The Italian word traces back to Latin 'replicare', which combines 're-' (again) and 'plicare' (to fold), literally meaning 'to fold back'. Over time, the idea of 'repeating' shifted from speech to objects: an artist 'repeats' a work by creating an exact second version. The sense of making a faithful copy of an artwork became the core meaning that survives today.