English vocabulary · C1
Ersatz
/ˈɛr.sæts/ · adj., n.
It means a fake copy used instead of the real thing.
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Example sentences
- The coffee was ersatz, made from grain.
- He ate ersatz bread during the war.
Word origin and roots
from German
- er — out (from German)
- satz — set (from German)
Synonyms and nuances
- substitute (replacing the original with something else)
- fake (something is made to look real but isn't)
- surrogate (something stands in for another)
Lesson notes
Ersatz. It means a fake copy used instead of the real thing. Not original — just a poor replacement.
Similar words are substitute, fake, and surrogate. Use ersatz when something looks real but is not.
The coffee was ersatz, made from grain. He ate ersatz bread during the war.
From German. Er means out. Satz means set. Ersatz means a cheap fake for the real thing.