copyright

[kop-ee-rahyt]

noun

1. the exclusive right to make copies, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc.: works granted such right by law on or after January 1, 1978, are protected for the lifetime of an author or creator and for a period of 70 years after their death.

adjective

1. of or relating to copyrights.

2. Also copyrighted. protected by copyright.

verb (used with object)

1. to secure a copyright on.

copyright

¹

/ ˈkɒpɪˌraɪt /

noun

1. (c). the exclusive right to produce copies and to control an original literary, musical, or artistic work, granted by law for a specified number of years (in Britain, usually 70 years from the death of the author, composer, etc, or from the date of publication if later)

adjective

1. (of a work, etc) subject to or controlled by copyright

verb

1. (tr) to take out a copyright on

©

²

symbol

1. copyright

copyright

¹

1. The legal protection given to published works, forbidding anyone but the author from publishing or selling them. An author can transfer the copyright to another person or corporation, such as a publishing company.

copyright

²

1. A grant of an exclusive right to produce or sell a book, motion picture, work of art, musical composition, software, or similar product during a specified period of time.

The symbol (see also symbol) for copyright is ©.

Other Word Forms

• copyrightable adjective
• copyrighter noun
• uncopyrighted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of copyright¹

First recorded in 1725–35; copy + right

Example Sentences

But the proliferation of AI has also fueled concerns that AI companies are using copyrighted material to train their models without compensation or permission.

From Los Angeles Times

In June, Disney and Comcast’s Universal Pictures sued AI company Midjourney, alleging that its image generator infringed on its copyrighted characters from franchises such as “Star Wars” and “Despicable Me.”

From Los Angeles Times

Esparza said those Headhunters never performed much publicly because of a copyright dispute over the name, but he remembered rehearsing with the original members “hundreds” of times.

From Los Angeles Times

It reportedly received a copyright violation complaint and had to be taken down.

From Los Angeles Times

Commercial activity also requires paperwork allowing a brand to use the property’s copyrights and trademarks, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cartel 
• holding 
• ownership 
• patent 
• trust