# Captain Ersatz

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. A fictional character created as a knock-off of another character whose copyright is owned by a separate entity.

## Etymology
From Captain + ersatz (“cheap imitation”). Coined by TV Tropes in 2007.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/captain-ersatz