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copyist

American  
[kop-ee-ist] / ˈkɒp i ɪst /

noun

  1. a person who transcribes copies, especially of documents.

  2. an imitator.

copyist British  
/ ˈkɒpɪɪst /

noun

  1. a person who makes written copies; transcriber

  2. a person who imitates or copies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of copyist

First recorded in 1690–1700; copy + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It could be a student, imitator, copyist, colleague or competitor.

From Washington Post • Oct. 7, 2022

A woman develops a special bond with composer Ludwig van Beethoven while working as his copyist.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 26, 2019

Pierre loses his fortune and becomes a writer; Isabel becomes his diligent copyist.

From The New Yorker • Jul. 22, 2019

In February and March this year, he spent one day a week in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s copyist program, creating interpretation of masterpieces with his easel set up in galleries.

From New York Times • May 21, 2017

Now, if a man simply copies what he sees, he is nothing but a copyist.

From The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 12 (of 12) Dresden Edition?Miscellany by Ingersoll, Robert Green

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.