noun

emulator

/ˈɛmjʊleɪtər/ · say it: EM·yoo·lay·tur

software that mimics another device or system

In more detail

1. (noun) a computer program or device that allows a computer to run software or programs designed for a different computer or system

2. (noun) a person who tries to be like or copy someone else

Examples

1. He used an emulator to play old video game consoles on his PC.
2. She is an emulator of her successful older sister.

How to use emulator

In computing contexts, emulator refers to a technical tool that replicates the hardware or software environment of another system, commonly used for gaming or development. In personal contexts, it describes someone who imitates another person, though this usage is less common in modern English than the computing sense. The verb emulate is more frequently used than the noun for the personal meaning.

Common phrases

run an emulator
software emulator
game emulator
emulator program
Android emulator

Synonyms

simulator · imitator · copycat · mimic

Word family

emulate (verb) · emulation (noun) · emulative (adjective)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse emulator with simulator; while related, an emulator typically replicates a specific system's behavior more completely, whereas a simulator models a system's processes more generally.

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