1
as in imitator
a person who adopts the appearance or behavior of another especially in an obvious way
she prides herself on being an innovator in fashion, and not a mere copyist
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in scribe
one who writes from dictation or copies manuscripts
some scholars argue that the vexing passage reflects a misreading of the text by an early copyist
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Recent Examples of copyist
Copying is part of a long tradition in art history, especially at the Louvre, which has maintained a copyists’ bureau since its founding in 1793.
—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
Material features can also include things like colophons—formulas at the end of a text that attest to its completeness and fidelity and often also include the name of the copyist—doodles in the margins, mistakes and corrections, even handwriting style.
—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2025
The watercolor was recently rejected by specialists in 2020, who believe the copyist worked from a photograph of the work that was first published in 1904.
—
Francesca Aton,
ARTnews.com,
4 Oct. 2024
In an effort to thwart copyists, together these purist designers showed after the scheduled Fashion Week—and this was back when editors were still sailing to Paris from New York.
—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
16 Nov. 2023
As befits an artist who began her career working as a music copyist for famed Miles Davis collaborator Gil Evans, one of her key early mentors, Schneider composes with such skill, verve and clarity that her orchestra becomes a unique instrument of her own making.
—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Feb. 2023
But her intention has been to draw inspiration and insight from each, without being a copyist.
—
Jon Garelick,
BostonGlobe.com,
11 Nov. 2022
As previously announced, the 2022 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC); Broadway For All; music copyist, Emily Grishman; Feinstein’s/54 Below and United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE.
—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
9 May 2022
Grishman is a music copyist for Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theater, who works closely with composers, orchestrators and players.
—
Abbey White,
The Hollywood Reporter,
6 May 2022
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
Material features can also include things like colophons—formulas at the end of a text that attest to its completeness and fidelity and often also include the name of the copyist—doodles in the margins, mistakes and corrections, even handwriting style.
—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2025
The watercolor was recently rejected by specialists in 2020, who believe the copyist worked from a photograph of the work that was first published in 1904.
—
Francesca Aton,
ARTnews.com,
4 Oct. 2024
In an effort to thwart copyists, together these purist designers showed after the scheduled Fashion Week—and this was back when editors were still sailing to Paris from New York.
—
Laird Borrelli-Persson,
Vogue,
16 Nov. 2023
As befits an artist who began her career working as a music copyist for famed Miles Davis collaborator Gil Evans, one of her key early mentors, Schneider composes with such skill, verve and clarity that her orchestra becomes a unique instrument of her own making.
—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Feb. 2023
But her intention has been to draw inspiration and insight from each, without being a copyist.
—
Jon Garelick,
BostonGlobe.com,
11 Nov. 2022
As previously announced, the 2022 Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre will be presented to the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC); Broadway For All; music copyist, Emily Grishman; Feinstein’s/54 Below and United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE.
—
Paul Grein,
Billboard,
9 May 2022
Grishman is a music copyist for Broadway, Off-Broadway and regional theater, who works closely with composers, orchestrators and players.
—
Abbey White,
The Hollywood Reporter,
6 May 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for copyist
Noun
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But the arrival of Buc-ee's supercharged the trend and spawned imitators like Wally's, which has three 50,000-square-foot locations in the Midwest, with plans for more.
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The frontier labs keep shipping the next capability while the imitators are still training on the last one, and the value keeps accruing to whoever is ahead rather than to whoever copied the leader's previous answers.
Noun
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On the continent is an elite war college that educates healers, soldiers, scribes, and — most famously — dragon riders.
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While caution is required as adoption outpaces oversight, AI scribes are often considered a boon to the health industry.
Noun
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The mom of two shares videos and photos of her fashion creations and her daughters wearing them with over 29,000 TikTok followers.
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In 1776, the year the Declaration of Independence was signed, Quakers made a formal stance against slavery, prohibiting followers of the faith from engaging in the institution.
Noun
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The rural storytelling and fiddle music on the frontier inspired the emergence and growth of commercial country music and bluegrass music, while echoes of acoustic blues and protest songs can be heard in modern R&B and hip-hop.
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These trades also feel like a bizarro echo of a deal by previous Canucks management almost exactly one year ago.
Cite this Entry
“Copyist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/copyist. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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