ersatz

er·satz  (rzäts, r-zäts)

adj.

Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one; artificial: ersatz coffee made mostly of chicory. See Synonyms at artificial.

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[German, replacement, from ersetzen, to replace, from Old High German irsezzan : ir-, out; see ud- in Indo-European roots + sezzan, to set; see sed- in Indo-European roots.]

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ersatz n.

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ersatz [air-zats]

Adjective

made in imitation of something more expensive: ersatz coffee [German ersetzen to substitute]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ersatz - an artificial or inferior substitute or imitation substitute, replacement - a person or thing that takes or can take the place of another
Adj.	1.	ersatz - artificial and inferior; "ersatz coffee"; "substitute coffee" substitute artificial, unreal - contrived by art rather than nature; "artificial flowers"; "artificial flavoring"; "an artificial diamond"; "artificial fibers"; "artificial sweeteners"

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ersatz

adjective artificial, substitute, pretend, fake, imitation, synthetic, bogus, simulated, sham, counterfeit, spurious, phoney or phony (informal)