What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Imposter vs Quack - What's the difference?

imposter | quack |

As nouns the difference between imposter and quack

is that imposter is someone who attempts to deceive by using an assumed name or identity or other devious disguise while quack is the sound made by a duck or quack can be a fraudulent healer or incompetent professional, especially a doctor of medicine; an impostor who claims to have qualifications to practice medicine.

As a verb quack is

to make a noise like a duck or quack can be to practice or commit quackery.

As an adjective quack is

falsely presented as having medicinal powers.

imposter

English

Alternative forms

* impostor

Noun

(en noun)
  • Someone who attempts to deceive by using an assumed name or identity or other devious disguise.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Anagrams

    *

    quack

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) *.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The sound made by a duck.
    • Did you hear that duck make a quack ?

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a noise like a duck.
    • The more breadcrumbs I threw on the ground, the more they quacked .
    Do you hear the ducks quack ?
    Derived terms
    *

    References

    Etymology 2

    (wikipedia quack) c 1630, shortening of quacksalver, from (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fraudulent healer or incompetent professional, especially a doctor of medicine; an impostor who claims to have qualifications to practice medicine.
    • That doctor is nothing but a lousy quack !
    Polly (to security guard, referring to Dr. Feingarten): Are you going to let that shyster in there?
    Dr. Feingarten': I could sue you, Polly. A shyster is a disreputable lawyer. I'm a ' quack .
    - From the motion picture
  • * 1662 : Rump: or an Exact Collection of the Choycest Poems and Songs Relating to Late Times, Vol. II , by ‘the most Eminent Wits’
    • Tis hard to say, how much these Arse-wormes do urge us, We now need no Quack but these Jacks for to purge us, [...]
  • * 1720 : William Derham, Physico-theology
    • After ?ome Months, the Quack gets privately to Town, [...]
  • * 1843 , '', book 2, ch. 8, ''The Electon
    • ‘if we are ourselves valets, there shall ‘exist no hero for us; we shall not know the hero when we see him;’ - we shall take the quack for a hero; and cry, audibly through all ballot-boxes and machinery whatsoever, Thou art he; be thou King over us!
  • A charlatan.
  • Carlyle
    • Quacks political; quacks scientific, academical.
  • (slang) A doctor.
    • Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To practice or commit quackery.
  • (obsolete) To make vain and loud pretensions; to boast.
  • * Hudibras
    • To quack of universal cures.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • falsely presented as having medicinal powers.
    • Don't get your hopes up; that's quack medicine!