clone
clone — noun
1. A living thing — such as a plant, animal, or cell — that carries exactly the sam
A living thing — such as a plant, animal, or cell — that carries exactly the same genetic information as another living thing, created by taking a cell from the original instead of through normal reproduction.
The laboratory created a clone of the sheep using cells taken from the original adult.
clone + of + [organism] for exact genetic replica
Scientists confirmed that the clone had DNA identical to the donor mouse.
A plant clone can be grown from a single leaf cutting without any seeds.
The research team compared the clone with the original frog to look for health differences.
文法句型
clone of [organism]
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often used in scientific contexts involving genetics or biotechnology. The original organism is called the 'donor'.
常見錯誤
2. Someone or something whose appearance or behaviour is nearly identical to that o
Someone or something whose appearance or behaviour is nearly identical to that of another person or object, often in a way that surprises or amuses people.
Everyone says Priya is a clone of her mother because they have the same smile.
clone of [person] for strong physical resemblance
The new smartphone is a clone of the leading brand but costs half the price.
Tomás discovered his cheap vase was a clone of an ancient museum piece.
At the party, Diego spotted a clone of his favourite actor standing by the window.
- copy
neutral, less vivid than clone
- lookalike
only used for people, not objects
- spitting image
stronger emphasis on visual resemblance; informal
- replica
formal; mainly used for objects, not people
- original
the genuine person or thing being copied
文法句型
clone of [person/thing]
用法筆記
Common in informal conversation. Often followed by 'of' + a specific person, brand, or object name. Can be used humorously or to express mild disapproval about lack of originality.
常見錯誤
3. A computer, device, or piece of software that is designed to work in the same wa
A computer, device, or piece of software that is designed to work in the same way as a more famous or expensive original, often by imitating its design or features.
The store sells a cheap clone of the popular tablet at half the price.
clone of [product] for compatible alternative
Ravi chose a clone of the expensive laptop with the same ports and speed.
Many hardware clones from Asian manufacturers work just as reliably as the originals.
The company released a clone of the gaming console that plays all the same games.
- imitation
broader meaning; suggests lower quality more strongly
- knockoff
informal; implies an illegal or unauthorised copy
- compatible
adjective, not a noun; describes function rather than origin
文法句型
clone of [product]
用法筆記
Countable. Originally used in the 1980s for 'IBM-compatible' PCs, now extends to any imitation hardware, software, or device. Typically implies a cheaper alternative that sacrifices some build quality or support.
clone — verb
1. To produce an exact genetic copy of a living thing by scientific methods, usuall
To produce an exact genetic copy of a living thing by scientific methods, usually by transferring the nucleus of a cell from the original organism into an egg cell.
The research team hopes to clone an endangered frog before the species disappears.
clone + [animal] in conservation context
Scientists successfully cloned a dog for the first time using skin cells in 2005.
Several countries have passed laws that make it illegal to clone a human being.
The farmer wants to clone his prize cow so her best qualities can be preserved.
- reproduce asexually
scientific term; describes the natural process cloning mimics
- copy
too general for biological contexts
文法句型
clone + [organism]
用法筆記
Transitive verb; always takes a direct object (the organism being cloned). Frequently appears in passive voice (e.g., 'was cloned'). The ethical debate around human cloning dominates non-scientific usage.
常見錯誤
2. To make an exact copy of something digital, such as a computer file, hard drive,
To make an exact copy of something digital, such as a computer file, hard drive, piece of software, or design, so that the copy works or looks exactly like the original.
The designer cloned the image and changed the colours on the new version.
clone + [digital file] for exact reproduction
Hana cloned the virtual machine so each student could run their own tests.
The installation tool lets you clone your old hard drive onto a new computer.
Leila cloned the template repository and added her own files to the project.
文法句型
clone + [digital object/file/design]
用法筆記
Transitive verb. Most common in computing contexts: cloning a hard drive, a virtual machine, a software repository, or a digital image. The result is functionally identical to the original. Less commonly used for physical objects (e.g., cloning a key).