What does simile mean in music terms?

In music, the term "simile" is an instruction to continue playing in the same manner or style as before. It is typically abbreviated as "sim." for short, and is usually found at the end of a musical phrase or section, indicating that the following phrase or section should be played similarly to the preceding one.

For example, if a pianist sees the marking "simile" after a particularly expressive section, they would continue to play in the same manner, with the same articulation, dynamics, and phrasing, for the following section.

The use of simile in music is a way for composers to ensure that their performers interpret the music in the desired way, and to create a sense of continuity and coherence between different sections of a composition.