Ersatz means a substitute or imitation, usually one that is inferior to the real thing. It can be used as an adjective or a noun, as in “ersatz coffee” or “an ersatz for the original.”

Meaning

  • Artificial rather than genuine.
  • Used in place of something real.
  • Often implies lower quality or a disappointing copy.

Example

  • “The movie used ersatz props that looked cheap and fake.”

Origin

The word comes from German and originally meant “replacement” or “substitute.” In English, it usually carries a negative tone, while in German it can be neutral.

In plain English

If something is ersatz, it is basically a stand-in for the real thing, but not as good.