replica

/ˈrɛp.lɪ.kə/·noun·1824·Established

Origin

Replica comes from Italian replica ('a repetition'), from Latin replicāre ('to fold back') — origina‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍lly an art term for a copy made by the original artist.

Definition

An exact copy or reproduction of something, especially one made by the original artist or on a small‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍er scale.

Did you know?

In strict art-historical usage, a replica is a copy made by the original artist, while a copy is made by someone else. Rubens, for instance, made replicas of his own paintings to meet demand. English has largely abandoned this distinction, using replica for any faithful reproduction.

Etymology

Italian18th centurywell-attested

From Italian replica, meaning 'a reply, a repetition,' from the verb replicare, 'to repeat, to fold back,' from Latin replicāre, composed of re- ('back, again') and plicāre ('to fold'). The original Latin sense was literally 'to fold back,' then 'to turn over in the mind, to reply.' Italian narrowed the meaning in art terminology: a replica was a repetition of a work made by the original artist, as distinct from a copy made by someone else. English borrowed the word in the 18th century through art criticism, later broadening it to mean any exact reproduction. Key roots: plicāre (Latin: "to fold"), re- (Latin: "back, again").

Ancient Roots

plicāre (Latin: “to fold”)re- (Latin: “back, again”)

This Word in Other Languages

réplique(French)réplica(Spanish)Replik(German)

Replica traces back to Latin plicāre, meaning "to fold", with related forms in Latin re- ("back, again"). Across languages it shares form or sense with French réplique, Spanish réplica and German Replik, evidence of a shared etymological family.

Background

The Etymology of Replica

In strict art-historical usage, a replica is not just any copy — it is a copy made by the original artist.‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍ Rubens made replicas of his own paintings; a student copying the same work made a copy. This distinction came from Italian replicare ('to repeat'), from Latin replicāre ('to fold back'), built on plicāre ('to fold'). The same root produced reply (a folding back of words), complicate (a folding together), and duplicate (a twofold thing). English borrowed replica from Italian art criticism in the early 19th century and almost immediately began broadening it. Today replica means any faithful reproduction — museum replicas, replica shirts — with no requirement that the original maker was involved.

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