copywriter

American  

[kop-ee-rahy-ter] / ˈkɒp iˌraɪ tər /

noun

1. a writer of copy, especially for advertisements or publicity releases.

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copywriter British  

/ ˈkɒpɪˌraɪtə /

noun

1. a person employed to write advertising copy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• copywriting
  noun

Etymology

Origin of copywriter

First recorded in 1910–15; copy + writer

Explanation

If you get a job writing ads or press releases, you can call yourself a copywriter. A good copywriter can write quickly and well. Many write for work might refer to themselves as copywriters, though the word specifically describes the type of writing that advertising agencies hire people to do. The text that's written for advertisements is known in the industry as copy, from the Latin root copia, "reproduction or transcript." Writers who produce copy have been known as copywriters since the early 20th century.

Example Sentences

“I’ll use aggressively casual language, like, ‘hey yo, for real,’ or drop a bunch of exclamation points,” said Harvard, a 32-year-old copywriter in Brooklyn, regarding her posts and essays.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

When I first started working in the advertising industry more than 10 years ago, the entry-level salary for a copywriter was $45,000.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

She was sacked from 20 jobs, including stints in public relations and work as a copywriter - before finally working in publishing.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2025

At the time, Arias had already established herself as a formidable copywriter for ad agencies, translating jingles and songs in Spanish for companies like Alka-Seltzer, Campbell Soup, Ford Motor Co.,

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025

Their place was only six blocks from where I worked as a copywriter for a small ad agency, so two or three times a week I would drop by after work.

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan