Simulacrum
Etymology
From Latin simulacrum, "likeness, image," from simulare, "to imitate," from similis, "similar." The progression is almost visible inside the word: similar → imitate → likeness → a representation that stands in for reality. The philosopher Baudrillard pushed it to its modern edge — the copy that replaces the thing.
noun · /sim-yuh-LAK-rum/
A representation or imitation that begins to take the place of what it represents.
What it names
Curated online personas, themed environments, reproductions so polished they feel more real than the original — copies with no clear original left.
Example
The "authentic Italian village" at the resort was a pleasant simulacrum, right down to the fake weathering on the walls.
Related idea
A facsimile faithfully copies an original; a simulacrum drifts free of one.