copper

¹ American  

[kop-er] / ˈkɒp ər /

noun

1. a malleable, ductile, metallic element having a characteristic reddish-brown color: used in large quantities as an electrical conductor and in the manufacture of alloys, as brass and bronze. Cu; 63.54; 29; 8.92 at 20°C.

2. a metallic reddish brown.

3. a coin composed of copper, bronze, or the like, as the U.S. cent or the British penny.

4. any of several butterflies of the family Lycaenidae, as Lycaena hypophleas American copper, having copper-colored wings spotted and edged with black.

5. a container made of copper.

6. a tool partly or wholly made of copper.

   a soldering copper.

7. British. a large kettle, now usually made of iron, used for cooking or to boil laundry.

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adjective

1. made of copper.

   copper kettles.

2. reddish-brown; coppery.

   The copper sun sank into the sea.

verb (used with object)

• coppers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• coppered,
  past participle,  past
• coppering
  present participle

1. to cover, coat, or sheathe with copper.

2. Informal. hedge.

copper ² American  

[kop-er] / ˈkɒp ər /

noun

Slang.

1. a police officer.

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copper ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒpə /

noun

1. Often shortened to: cop. a slang word for policeman

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copper ² British  

/ ˈkɒpə /

noun

1. 1. a malleable ductile reddish metallic element occurring as the free metal, copper glance, and copper pyrites: used as an electrical and thermal conductor and in such alloys as brass and bronze. Symbol: Cu; atomic no: 29; atomic wt: 63.546; valency: 1 or 2; relative density: 8.96; melting pt: 1084.87±+0.2°C; boiling pt: 2563°C

   2. ( as modifier )

      a copper coin

2. 1. the reddish-brown colour of copper

   2. ( as adjective )

      copper hair

3. informal any copper or bronze coin

4. a large vessel, formerly of copper, used for boiling or washing

5. any of various small widely distributed butterflies of the genera Lycaena, Heodes, etc, typically having reddish-brown wings: family Lycaenidae

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verb

1. (tr) to coat or cover with copper

copper Scientific  

/ kŏp′ər /

1. A reddish-brown, ductile, malleable metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. It is widely used for electrical wires, water pipes, and rust-resistant parts, either in its pure form or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,083°C; boiling point 2,595°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2.

2. See Periodic Table See Note at element

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coppery
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• coppering
  present
• coppered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• copper
  simple
• coppers
  simple
• have coppered
  perfect
• has coppered
  perfect
• am coppering
  progressive
• are coppering
  progressive
• is coppering
  progressive
• have been coppering
  perfect progressive
• has been coppering
  perfect progressive

Past

• coppered
  simple
• had coppered
  perfect
• was coppering
  progressive
• were coppering
  progressive
• had been coppering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will copper
  simple
• will have coppered
  perfect
• will be coppering
  progressive
• will have been coppering
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of copper¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English coper, copper, Old English coper, copor (cognate with Old Norse koparr, German Kupfer ), from Late Latin cuprum, for Latin ( aes ) Cyprium “(metal) from Cyprus”

Origin of copper²

First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps cop ² + -er ¹

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Explanation

Copper is a reddish-gold colored metal that's commonly used in electrical wires and plumbing. Your grandmother might make her famous chocolate caramel sauce in a shiny copper pot. Before 1983, pennies were 95 percent copper. Today, they're almost entirely zinc (a less expensive metal), coated with a thin copper plating. They look the same, but the older coins are quite a bit heavier. Copper is a good conductor of heat and electricity, which is why it's used for both fancy cookware and wires. You can also use copper for things that have a similar color: "His copper curls make him stand out from the other choir members."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

copper coppers coppered coppering

Antofagasta also gave copper production guidance for 2027, expecting a range of 630,000 to 690,000 tons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The Escondida mine in northern Chile yearly digs up around five percent of the world's copper, which is essential for the energy transition, artificial intelligence and defense.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Jefferies increases its long-term copper price to US$6/lb, from US$5/lb.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026

"At the time you think it might be copper or iron washing down through the landscape but it stank and it was sort of oily all over her coat," Donna added.

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The pot looks entirely too fancy for a bird rescue, with its rolled copper edges and pristine silver handles.

From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers

Her odyssey also takes her to Falster, an island at the bottom of the country, where she finds “a cluster of sooty coppers on a few glossy yellow flowers.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

He emptied out Russian identity papers, bank notes in the Russian currency, the rouble, and small change in Belorussian coppers.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2022

Mette, who has been with the department for 18 years, told "young coppers" they have a "long way to go."

From Fox News ● Oct. 21, 2021

“You want to say ‘I know all these coppers, I know all these things?’

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 13, 2020

And when they came, he ate them down greedily, pushing them into his mouth with his bamboo chopsticks, while the boy stood and spun the coppers between his black thumb and forefinger.

From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck

Within the last month Alsop coppered the Longworth bet by wagering heavily on Ike to run.

From Time Magazine Archive

But by 1783 ships of every class were coppered.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher

She had then been recaulked and coppered; besides having her rigging set up again and tarred down, as well as the coverings and seizings replaced, and the chaffing gear paid over.

From Fritz and Eric The Brother Crusoes by John C. (John Conroy) Hutcheson

For this purpose specially prepared coppered asbestos rings are used, which will stand both water and intense heat.

From Gas and Oil Engines, Simply Explained An Elementary Instruction Book for Amateurs and Engine Attendants by Walter C. Runciman

During action this becomes coppered, while in contact with the sulphate of copper, but it is not attacked by the acid.

From Electric Bells and All About Them A Practical Book for Practical Men by S. R. Bottone

Clampett & Co. expect to get richer still on royalties, and are coppering their bet by making a round-the-world tour, beating bandits and fattening the market for their book.

From Time Magazine Archive

Every thing necessary for repairing a vessel appeared to be on hand, and Mr. C. was then engaged in coppering the one on his dock.

From Kathay: A Cruise in the China Seas by W. Hastings Macaulay

It seems they sing, Even though coppering is not an easy thing.

From Men, Women and Ghosts by Amy Lowell

The practice of coppering, though then fully adopted, had not yet been extended to all vessels.

From The Major Operations of the Navies in the War of American Independence by A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

Well, have your own way; but I'll fool you again, while you're coppering me.

From The Spenders A Tale of the Third Generation by Harry Leon Wilson

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