Empathy is usually defined as the ability to feel the emotion of another. Empathic mimicry is the ability to feel and then mimic another person's super power. At present, Peter has only absorbed powers that have been exercised in his presence. The exact range at which this occurs is not known and it's unclear if the distance and time needed to absorb a power is the same for each one. The absorption appears to occur involuntarily.
Peter has so far demonstrated difficulty in controlling a power away from the person from whom he acquired it. His precognitive ability tends to occur in dreams (when he is not in control) and he has so far failed to fly when not close to Nathan.
A possible explanation for Peter's ability is that his DNA is somehow able to resequence itself to replicate the DNA sequence of another "evolved" one's ability.
Peter and Sylar appear to be the only characters with more than one ability, but whether Sylar is an empathic mimic remains to be seen.
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But you guys know how on the Homecoming Episode how Sylar and Peter were fighting didn't sylar try to use his power if he did Peter would have gotten his power. Right?
Did Sylar have a power in the first place before he cut people's head off and eat there brain something like that.