replicant

[ rep-li-kuhnt ]

noun

1. (in science fiction) a robot or other artificial being in the form of a human or other creature.

Word History and Origins

Origin of replicant¹

First recorded in 1620–30; current sense was coined by David Peoples, U.S. screenwriter (born 1940), for the film Blade Runner (1982); from Late Latin replicant-, stem of present participle replicāns, from replicāre “to fold back”; re- ( def ), ply ², -ant

Example Sentences

“That’s how ideas work. Grand ideas evolve. The next step is ‘Blade Runner,’ where you get Roy Batty as an evolved replicant, a human who’s not human, but actually in essence, in old terminology, a robot.”

From Los Angeles Times

There’s a fierce debate about whether such “replicant” speech, even if it’s political in nature, can be regulated.

From Scientific American

There's a fierce debate about whether such "replicant" speech, even if it's political in nature, can be regulated.

From Salon

Drake hasn’t commented on “Heart on My Sleeve,” but he did post on his Instagram story a different AI-created song, in which a Drake replicant rapped Ice Spice’s breakout hit, “Munch.”

From Los Angeles Times

Automated systems can also fix some problems much faster than a person, says Gadi Shamia, CEO of Replicant, a contact center automation company.

From Seattle Times