facsimile
n.n. a copy of a document or book that looks exactly like the original. It is usually a high-quality reproduction used for legal or historical reasons.
n. a copy of a document or book that is identical in appearance to the original. Often used in legal or archival contexts to ensure the authenticity of a reproduction.
The lawyer presented a facsimile of the original contract.
The museum displayed a facsimile of the ancient manuscript to protect the original from damage.
While digital scans are common, the legal department required a high-resolution facsimile to verify the signature on the historical document.
From Latin fac simile (“make like”), from fac (“make”) (imperative of facere (“make”)) + simile (neuter of similis (“like, similar”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 18, 2026