copy

American  

[kop-ee] / ˈkɒp i /

noun

• copies
  plural

1. an imitation, reproduction, or transcript of an original.

   a copy of a famous painting.

   Synonyms:

   facsimile, carbon, duplicate

2. one of the various examples or specimens of the same book, engraving, or the like.

3. written matter intended to be reproduced in printed form.

   The editor sent the copy for the next issue to the printer.

4. the text of a news story, advertisement, television commercial, etc., as distinguished from related visual material.

5. the newsworthiness of a person, thing, or event (often preceded by good orbad ).

   The president is always good copy.

6. Computers. an exact duplicate of a file, program, etc..

   Keep a backup copy of the document.

7. Genetics. replication.

8. Printing. pictures and artwork prepared for reproduction.

9. British Informal. (in schools) a composition; a written assignment.

10. British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 16 × 20 inches (40 × 50 centimeters).

11. Archaic. something that is to be reproduced; an example or pattern, as of penmanship to be copied by a pupil.

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verb (used with object)

• copies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• copied,
  past participle,  past
• copying
  present participle

1. to make a copy of; transcribe; reproduce.

   to copy a set of figures from a book.

2. to receive and understand (a radio message or its sender).

3. to follow as a pattern or model; imitate.

   Antonyms:

   originate

4. Computers. to make an exact duplicate of (a file, selected text, etc.) and store in another location or in temporary memory.

   Can I copy the program to another computer? Copy the selected paragraph to the clipboard.

verb (used without object)

• copies,
  present (3rd person singular)
• copied,
  past participle,  past
• copying
  present participle

1. to make a copy or copies.

2. to undergo copying.

   It copied poorly.

   I can't install the program—one file won't copy.

3. to hear or receive a radio message, as over a CB radio.

   Do you copy?

4. Newfoundland. Also to leap from one ice pan to another across open water.

idioms

1. copy the mail, mail.

copy British  

/ ˈkɒpɪ /

noun

1. an imitation or reproduction of an original

2. a single specimen of something that occurs in a multiple edition, such as a book, article, etc

3. 1. matter to be reproduced in print

   2. written matter or text as distinct from graphic material in books, newspapers, etc

4. the words used to present a promotional message in an advertisement

5. informal journalism suitable material for an article or story

   disasters are always good copy

6. archaic a model to be copied, esp an example of penmanship

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verb

1. to make a copy or reproduction of (an original)

2. (tr) to imitate as a model

3. (intr) to imitate unfairly

Synonym Usage

See imitate.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precopy
  noun
• recopy
  verb (used with object)
• uncopied
  adjective
• well-copied
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• copies
  plural

Participles

• copying
  present
• copied
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• copy
  simple
• copies
  simple
• have copied
  perfect
• has copied
  perfect
• am copying
  progressive
• are copying
  progressive
• is copying
  progressive
• have been copying
  perfect progressive
• has been copying
  perfect progressive

Past

• copied
  simple
• had copied
  perfect
• was copying
  progressive
• were copying
  progressive
• had been copying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will copy
  simple
• will have copied
  perfect
• will be copying
  progressive
• will have been copying
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of copy

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English copie (from Anglo-French ) from Medieval Latin cōpia “abundance, something copied,” Latin: “wealth, abundance”; see copious; copy ( def. 18 ) originally a children's game, from the phrase copy the leader

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Explanation

A copy is a reproduction of something — it looks identical to the original. You might ask your sister to make a copy of your nephew's adorable painting so you can hang it on your fridge. You can use the word copy in several different ways. Your doctor's office may keep a copy of your insurance card on file, and they may copy it again every year. This verb form of copy means "to replicate or reproduce." You can also copy down what your teacher says in class — in this case, you're not making an identical copy, but writing the basic ideas. The Medieval Latin root, copia, "reproduction or transcript," comes from the Latin word copia, "plenty."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

copy copies copied copying

I’ve been momentarily halted by that title each time I’ve picked up my tattered $5 thrift-store copy over the last few weeks.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026

Were either car to come to market, the difference between the official Hippie Car and its copy could be tens of millions of dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Stéphane Bancel defended his melanoma data and argued that rivals can’t easily copy the technology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

The company behind the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders is seeking a court order to stop My Chemical Romance from using dancers in costumes it says copy the squad’s signature uniform.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Eisman obtained a copy; its contents confirmed his worst suspicions.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Rooney's novels have sold millions of copies internationally, gaining a cult following for their observations of modern relationships before the BBC television adaptation of "Normal People" brought her wider fame.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Although this sacrifice kills the individual cell, it prevents the virus from producing more copies and infecting nearby bacteria, helping protect the larger colony.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026

For Scheffler, the issue goes beyond the work of an established illustrator whose Gruffalo books have sold more than 18 million copies worldwide.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

That can include voter registration forms, sign-in sheets, poll books, copies of identifying documents that are submitted and ballots themselves, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

And when we were home, everyone usually had his or her nose stuck in one of the books or advance readers’ copies that Mom brought home from work.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen

A feline drawn from a package of pet food or kitty litter grins at viewers in “Laughing Cat,” while the eerily smiling woman in “The Refrigerator” was copied from a baking-soda ad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

McCotter copied on the letters First Assistant U.S.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

These real-money portfolios — tracked via public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, disclosures and linked accounts — can be copied for a $9.99 monthly subscription fee.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

"Photographers use a watermark to protect the image from being copied, if that is removed that is copyright infringement," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

To make an RNA copy of a gene, the cell used a rather simple transposition: every A,C,T, and G in a gene was copied to an A, C, U, and G in the messenger RNA.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Highlighting worries about the technology, Smith pointed to a recent Anthropic report suggesting small AI models may be only months away from behaving like computer worms, copying themselves from one internet-connected device to the next.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

But in the 1800s, no one could make a YouTube video accusing another creator of copying their slipper pattern, or debate English vs.

From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2026

Stewart “concluded that the works contain substantial similarities in protectable musical expression, including repeated copying of the distinctively protectable melody,” the complaint alleges.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026

British pop star Olivia Dean has been accused of copying the melody of Bill Withers' soul classic Just The Two of Us in a legal case filed in California.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

Now that Rose had completed her little version of our housing development, she had moved on to copying some of the other buildings that surrounded it.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

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Related Words

• image
• model
• photocopy
• photograph
• portrait
• print
• replica
• reproduction
• transcript
• type

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