doppelganger

• doppelgänger

Borrowed from German Doppelgänger (“ghostly spirit”, literally “double-walker”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɒp(ə)lˌɡɛŋə/, /-ˌɡæŋə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɑp(ə)lˌɡɛŋəɹ/, /-ˌɡæŋəɹ/

• Audio (General Australian):

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• Audio (UK):

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• Audio (US):

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doppelganger (plural doppelgangers)

1. A ghostly double of a living person, especially one that haunts such a person.

   Synonyms: double, doubleganger

   • 1963, Lester del Rey, The Sky Is Falling:

     "An orderly let out the news that you are here," she said. "But don't worry. We've sent out a doppelganger to fool the Sons, and the orderly has been sentenced to slavery under the pyramid builder for twenty lifetimes. I hate my brother! How dare he fight us with the sky falling?"

2. An evil twin.

   Synonym: alter ego

3. A remarkably similar double.

   Synonyms: lookalike, alter ego

   • 2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How talent shows became TV's most bizarre programmes”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Stars in Their Eyes ran for 16 years from 1990, and had the "wow" factor moment of transforming a pub singer into their idol, as the contestant said the famous words: "Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be…" and then stepped out from a puff of dry ice as their musical doppelganger.

   • 2025 June 27, Sam Jones, “Till Jeff us do part: divisive, star-studded Bezos wedding hits full swing in Venice”, in The Guardian‎^[2], →ISSN:

     He had come tantalisingly close to his doppelganger on Thursday night when a beautiful burgundy boat cruised past him. “He saw me and I waved and he gave me a thumbs-up,” said Halicilar. “I was so happy. I cried.”

4. (fantasy) A monster that takes the forms of people, usually after killing them.

• doubleganger

• doppelganger on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• doppleganger

• Doppelgänger

doppelganger m (plural doppelgangers)

1. (fantasy) doppelganger (ghostly double of a living person)