Similitude

Pronunciation

Origin

From Old French similitude.

Full definition of similitude

Noun

1. (uncountable) Similarity or resemblance to something else.
• 1997: Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, page 67, The Renaissance Episteme (Totem Books, Icon Books; ISBN 1840460865)Renaissance man thought in terms of similitudes: the theatre of life, the mirror of nature. …
  Aemulation was similitude within distance: the sky resembled a face because it had “eyes” — the sun and moon.
2. (countable) A way in which two people or things share similitude.
• 1997: Chris Horrocks, Introducing Foucault, page 67, The Renaissance Episteme (Totem Books, Icon Books; ISBN 1840460865)Renaissance man thought in terms of similitudes: the theatre of life, the mirror of nature. …
  Aemulation was similitude within distance: the sky resembled a face because it had “eyes” — the sun and moon.
3. (countable) Someone or something that closely resembles another; a duplicate or twin.
• Wilkie Collins, Nine O'Clock!If I was certain of anything in the world, I was certain that I had seen my brother in the study — nay, more, had touched him, — and equally certain that I had seen his double — his exact similitude, in the garden.
4. A parable or allegory.
• 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Matthew XIII:And he spake many thynges to them in similitudes, sayinge: Beholde, the sower wentt forth to sowe, And as he sowed, some fell by the wayes side ....