the act of imitating.-that which is made or produced as a copy; that which is made to resemble something else, whether for laudable or for fraudulent purposes; likeness; resemblance.-one of the principal means of securing unity and consistency in polyphonic composition; the repetition of essentially the same melodic theme, phrase, or motive, on different degrees of pitch, by one or more of the other parts of voises.  cf. canon.-the act of condition of imitating another species of animal, or a plant, or unanimate object. see imitate, v. t., 3.