simulant

Plural: simulants

Noun

• One who pretends or imitates; a simulator.
• Something that simulates something else such as a gemstone.

Adj

• Simulating, replacing, or having the form or appearance of something else.

Examples

• Due to its low cost and close visual likeness to diamond, cubic zirconia has remained the most gemologically and economically important diamond simulant since 1976.
• The opponent was a simulant of a good player, bluffing confidence but scoring low.