Definition

A person or thing that is an exact duplicate or nearly identical copy of another, especially when deceptively so; or historically, a horse that was secretly substituted for another in a race.

Example Usage

That actor is a dead ringer for the original villain—they even nailed the accent.

Origin

The term likely originated in 19th-century horse racing, where a 'dead ringer' was a substitute horse brought in to 'ring in' to a race.

Fun Fact

The phrase gained widespread popularity despite its unclear etymology; some suggest it derives from 'dead' meaning 'absolutely' and a 'ringer' being a substitute.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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