copy

noun \ ˈkä-pē \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of copy

plural copies

1 : an imitation, transcript, or reproduction of an original work (such as a letter, a painting, a table, or a dress)

2 : one of a series of especially mechanical reproductions of an original impression; also : an individual example of such a reproduction

3 archaic : something to be imitated : model

4 a : matter to be set especially for printing

b : something considered printable or newsworthy —used without an article

remarks that make good copy
—Norman Cousins

c : text especially of an advertisement

5 : duplicate 1a

a copy of a computer file

a copy of a gene

See copy defined for English-language learners

See copy defined for kids

Examples of copy in a Sentence

The novel has sold more than a million copies.
She got a job writing advertising copy.
All copy must be submitted by 5 p.m.

Recent Examples of copy from the Web

But the only copies of the plans for the viaduct remained in the Port Authority’s offices in the north tower of the World Trade Center.

— patrick mcgeehan, New York Times, "For New Jersey Commuters, a Sequel to the ‘Summer of Hell’," 5 June 2018
For more on Graun and four more women who lost 100 lbs., pick up a copy of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday.

— julie mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "How This Mom Lost 105 Lbs. with Intermittent Fasting: 'I Went Into it Kind of Skeptical'," 5 June 2018
Games have long abided by a sort of Wild West, everyone-copies-everyone mentality, and the situation here is even more complicated given PUBG runs on Epic’s engine.

— hayden dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Killer7's finally coming to PC, Star Citizen adds a $27,000 item pack," 1 June 2018
For more information and to order a copy, please click here.

— davey johnson, SI.com, "What It Was Like to Manage a Rookie Doc Gooden, the Gritty Wally Backman and the New York Mets," 1 June 2018
The album was released on May 18 and sold 135,000 total copies in its first week, including 100,000 traditional album sales.

— jessie yeung, CNN, "Boy band BTS becomes first K-pop group to top Billboard 200," 28 May 2018
At various times, there were four different copies of the original trilogy in my possession — original VHS, special edition VHS, DVD, blu-ray.

— t.j. furman, Philly.com, "Han Solo or Luke Skywalker? This 'Star Wars' fan made his choice a long time ago," 21 May 2018
By the end of its first year in print, the book had sold over 300,000 copies in the United States alone, going on to become the best-selling novel of the 19th century.

— jared brock, Smithsonian, "The Story of Josiah Henson, the Real Inspiration for ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’," 16 May 2018
His methodology consisted of making a single portrait, then painting several exact copies of that portrait, and then starting a new series based on a new original.

— Fortune, "The 10 Biggest Surprises From the $828 Million Rockefeller Auction," 12 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'copy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of copy

Middle English copie, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin copia, from Latin, abundance — more at copious

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

copy Synonyms

Synonyms

carbon, carbon copy, clone, dummy, dupe, duplicate, duplication, facsimile, imitation, mock, reduplication, replica, replication, reproduction;

Antonyms

archetype, original, prototype;

miniature, mock-up, simulation;

reconstruction, re-creation;

image, likeness, semblance, shadow;

impression, imprint, print;

approximation, reincarnation, version;

extra, reserve, spare;

Synonym Discussion of copy

reproduction, duplicate, copy, facsimile, replica mean a thing made to closely resemble another. reproduction implies an exact or close imitation of an existing thing.

- reproductions from the museum's furniture collection

duplicate implies a double or counterpart exactly corresponding to another thing.

- a duplicate of a house key

copy applies especially to one of a number of things reproduced mechanically.

- printed 1000 copies of the lithograph

facsimile suggests a close reproduction often of graphic matter that may differ in scale.

- a facsimile of a rare book

replica implies the exact reproduction of a particular item in all details

- a replica of the Mayflower

but not always in the same scale.

- miniature replicas of classic cars

copy

verb

Definition of copy

copied; copying

transitive verb

1 : to make a copy or duplicate of

copy a document

copy a computer file

2 : to model oneself on

intransitive verb

1 : to make a copy

2 : to undergo copying

the map did not copy well

See copy defined for English-language learners

Examples of copy in a Sentence

She copied the design on a piece of paper.
Copy the file to your hard drive.
The bills are designed to prevent copying by counterfeiters.
We caught him copying the answers out of the book.
We caught him copying out of the book.
The speech was copied word for word.
His music was copied widely.
Their competitors soon copied the idea.

Recent Examples of copy from the Web

Denim has followed a well-trod path in Japan, in which manufacturers initially copy foreign products—from Neapolitan pizza to preppy Ivy League-style clothing—and then transform them into something more uniquely Japanese.

— suryatapa bhattacharya, WSJ, "The Hottest Jeans Cost $2,000 and Are Made in Japan," 5 June 2018
But, for two-qubit operations, the error grows more rapidly because the error in the control qubit is copied to the target qubit.

— chris lee, Ars Technica, "Cloud-based quantum computer takes on deuteron and wins," 30 May 2018
The letter was copied to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the Texas Rangers.

— josh baugh, San Antonio Express-News, "Brockhouse requests DA investigate possible meeting violation by City Council," 8 May 2018
The letter was copied to university chancellor Alexander Cartwright, university counsel Steve Owens, faculty athletics representative Pamela Hinton and associate ADs for compliance Mary Austin and Mitzi Clayton.

— alex schiffer, kansascity, "Mizzou AD's letter: Investigation found former tutor's academic fraud claims were true | The Kansas City Star," 27 Apr. 2018
But several of Pruitt's official emails, released soon after as part of an open records lawsuit in Oklahoma, were copied to his personal email - an Apple account that was partially blacked out before being released.

— juliet eilperin, chicagotribune.com, "Scott Pruitt has 4 different EPA email addresses. Lawmakers want to know why.," 12 Apr. 2018
But several of Pruitt's official emails, released soon after as part of an open records lawsuit in Oklahoma, were copied to his personal email - an Apple account that was partially blacked out before being released.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Scott Pruitt has four different EPA email addresses. Lawmakers want to know why.," 12 Apr. 2018
Musicians copied his hipster style, from his pointed goatee to his beret.

— lawrence toppman, charlotteobserver, "Get more familiar with NC's Thelonious Monk (before his music stars at Charlotte Jazz Festival)," 2 Apr. 2018
And then, taking advantage of its popularity, Facebook started copying and replacing older public forms of civic engagement with new ones that only live inside its platform.

— micah l. sifry, The New Republic, "Escape From Facebookistan," 21 May 2018

First Known Use of copy

14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

copy Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of copy

copy, imitate, mimic, ape, mock mean to make something so that it resembles an existing thing. copy suggests duplicating an original as nearly as possible.

- copied the painting and sold the fake as an original

imitate suggests following a model or a pattern but may allow for some variation.

- imitate a poet's style

mimic implies a close copying (as of voice or mannerism) often for fun, ridicule, or lifelike imitation.

- pupils mimicking their teacher

ape may suggest presumptuous, slavish, or inept imitating of a superior original.

- American fashion designers aped their European colleagues

mock usually implies imitation with derision.

- mocking a vain man's pompous manner

COPY Defined for English Language Learners

copy

noun

Definition of copy for English Language Learners

: something that is or looks exactly or almost exactly like something else : a version of something that is identical or almost identical to the original
: one of the many books, magazines, albums, DVDs, etc., that are exactly the same and are produced to be sold or given to the public
: written information that is to be published in a newspaper, magazine, etc.

copy

verb

Definition of copy for English Language Learners

: to make a version of (something) that is exactly or almost exactly like the original : to make a copy or duplicate of (something)
: to write (something) down exactly as it appears somewhere else
: to use (someone else's words or ideas) as your own

COPY Defined for Kids

copy

noun \ ˈkä-pē \

Definition of copy for Students

plural copies

1 : something that is made to look exactly like something else : duplicate

a copy of a letter

a copy of a painting

2 : one of the total number of books, magazines, or papers printed at one time

She owns a copy of a popular atlas.

3 : written material to be published

copy

verb

Definition of copy for Students

copied; copying

1 : to make a duplicate of

2 : imitate 1

Synonym Discussion of copy

copy, imitate, and mimic mean to make something so that it resembles something else. copy means trying to duplicate a thing as much as possible.

- Copy this drawing exactly.

imitate means that a person uses something as an example but does not try to make an exact copy.

- They imitated the actions of their parents.

mimic means carefully copying something (as a person's voice) often for the purpose of making fun of it.

- The comedian mimicked a popular singer.

Learn More about copy

See words that rhyme with copy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for copy Spanish Central: Translation of copy Nglish: Translation of copy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of copy for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up copy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

copy

Definition of copy

Examples of copy in a Sentence

Recent Examples of copy from the Web

Origin and Etymology of copy

copy Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of copy

copy

Definition of copy

Examples of copy in a Sentence

Recent Examples of copy from the Web

First Known Use of copy

copy Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of copy

Phrases Related to COPY

Related Phrases

COPY Defined for English Language Learners

copy

Definition of copy for English Language Learners

copy

Definition of copy for English Language Learners

COPY Defined for Kids

copy

Definition of copy for Students

copy

Definition of copy for Students

Synonym Discussion of copy

Learn More about copy

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Can You Use 'Comprised of'?

Trending: DOJ Describes Comey as 'Insubordinate'

Name More Food!

9 Words for Transnational Currencies

Ghost Word