Dictionary

emulate en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈem.jə.læɪt/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɛm.jʊ.leɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɛm.jə.leɪt/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

First attested in 1586; borrowed from Latin aemulātus, perfect active participle of Latin aemulor (“to rival, emulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Striving to excel, ambitious, emulous.
   • That can I, At leaſt the whiſper goes ſo : Our laſt King, Whoſe Image euen but novv appear'd to vs, VVas (as you know) by Fortinbras of Norvvay, (Thereto prick’d on by a moſt emulate Pride) Dar’d to the Combate. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], pages 152-153, column 1:

Forms

Relateds

imitate · copy · simulate · mimic

emulate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈem.jə.læɪt/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈɛm.jʊ.leɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈɛm.jə.leɪt/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

First attested in 1586; borrowed from Latin aemulātus, perfect active participle of Latin aemulor (“to rival, emulate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

Meanings

1. (archaic) To attempt to equal or be the same as.
2. To copy or imitate, especially a person.
   • The Magpies are unbeaten and enjoying their best run since 1994, although few would have thought the class of 2011 would come close to emulating their ancestors. 2011 October 1, Saj Chowdhury, “Wolverhampton 1 - 2 Newcastle”, in BBC Sport:
   • People are endlessly fascinating, even if you'd never want to emulate them.
3. (obsolete) To feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy.
   • But the councell then present emulating my successe, would not thinke it fit to spare me fortie men to be hazzarded in those unknowne regions [...]. 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 146:
4. of a program or device: to imitate another program or device

Forms

Deriveds

unemulated · emulatory · emulation · emulatable · emulable · emulator · emulative

Relateds

emulation · emulative · emulator · emulous · simulate

Translations (40)

fr émuler (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · gv eiyr er (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · de emulieren (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · nl imiteren (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · fi jäljitellä (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · cmn 模仿 (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · sv emulera (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · tr öykünmek (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · bg емули́рам (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · pt emular (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · ar ضَاهَى (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · ro emula (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · sv söka efterlikna (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · ro imita (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · sv efterlikna (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · fr émuler (to feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy) · cy efelychu (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · oc emular (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · ca emular (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · ms melagak (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · cmn 效仿 (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · fi emuloida (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · fi matkia (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · ar قَلَّدَ (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · tr kıskanmak (to feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy) · es emular (in computing of a program or device: to imitate another program or device) · tr öykünmek (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · fi emuloida (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · tr çekememek (to feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy) · es emular (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · ca emular (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · de nachahmen (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · la aemulor (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · nl nadoen (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · ar حَاكَى (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · sga étaigidir (to feel a rivalry with; to be jealous of, to envy) · ro emula (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · fr imiter (to copy or imitate, especially a person) · pt emular (to attempt to equal or be the same as) · fr émuler (to copy or imitate, especially a person)