Meaning & Definition of word "Ersatz"
Ersatz
/ˈɛrzæts/
adjective:
- 1. Made or used as a substitute, typically an inferior one.
- Example: The café served ersatz coffee that tasted more like cardboard than beans.
- 2. Not genuine; fake.
- Example: The museum exhibit was filled with ersatz artifacts that did not have any historical significance.
- 3. Imitation or artificial.
- Example: He could tell the designer purse was ersatz and not the real deal.
- 4. Of a lower quality; inferior.
- Example: The movie was criticized for its ersatz plot and cliché characters.
Etymology
●German, meaning 'replacement' or 'substitute'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
ersatz love:
A superficial or insincere form of affection.
ersatz humor:
Humor that is artificial or lacks depth.
Related Words
substitute:
Something that takes the place of another.
imitation:
A thing made to resemble another; a copy.
fake:
A thing that is not genuine; a false imitation.
Slang Meanings of ersatz
Meaning: A term describing something that is not authentic.
● Example Sentence: That handbag is so ersatz; nobody would mistake it for the real thing.
Meaning: Something that is a poor quality version of something else.
● Example Sentence: Her ersatz accent made it clear she wasn't from around here.