Aped

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /eɪpt/

Definitions

1. Copied someone else's behavior or actions in an attempt to mimic them ; behaved in a silly or exaggerated manner to attract attention or amuse others
2. Imitated the conduct or style of another person, often to gain approval or fit in ; acted in a way that was overdone or absurd to create a humorous effect
3. Repeated or mimicked someone else's traits or mannerisms ; displayed foolishness or overacting through exaggerated behavior

Etymology: Ape the verb came first, and the noun for the animal was already in English by then, so the verb grew from it. The animal sense goes back to Old English "apa," and the Wiktionary source connects it to cognates across Germanic languages, including Dutch "aap," German "Affe," and Swedish "apa." Those shared forms point to a very old Germanic word, though its ultimate origin is unclear. It may be an ancient loanword from a non-Indo-European language of regions where monkeys are native, a view that is traditionally assumed but not proven. The verb turned the animal into an action: to copy someone's behaviour, mannerisms, or style, usually with an awkward or exaggerated result. Copying a monkey's mimicry became the model for copying a person, and the sense of overdoing the imitation for comic effect followed naturally from that. The past form "aped" simply takes the regular ending on the verb, so the history is that of the animal word itself.

Synonyms: imitated, mimicked, copied, emulated, followed

Antonyms: created, originated, innovated, devised, invented