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A perfect likeness or counterpart. [Probably from alteration of spitten, dialectal past participle of spit, the close resemblance of one person to another being likened in folk sayings to the former person having been spat out of the latter's mouth .] American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

spitting image. A precise resemblance, especially in closely related persons. For example, Dirk is the spitting image of his grandfather. This idiom alludes to the earlier use of the noun spit for “likeness,” in turn probably derived from an old proverb, “as like as one as if he had been spit out of his mouth” (c. 1400).

spitting image. A precise resemblance, especially in closely related persons. For example, Dirk is the spitting image of his grandfather. This idiom alludes to the earlier use of the noun spit for "likeness," in turn probably derived from an old proverb, "as like as one as if he had been spit out of his mouth" (c. 1400).

Spitting image ("someone who looks very much like someone else") has many origin stories. Before you read any further, however, you should consider yourself forewarned that this article will not attempt to claim to have proved with certainty the trustworthiness of any of them. If you would seek certainty in life, go read the scores for yesterday’s sports games.

Spitting-image meaning A perfect likeness or counterpart.

Learner's definition of SPITTING IMAGE. [count] : someone who looks very much like someone else — usually singular. She is the spitting image of her mother.