copyright

1 of 3

noun

copy·​right ˈkä-pē-ˌrīt 

: the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work)

His family still holds the copyright to his songs.

copyright

2 of 3

verb

copyrighted; copyrighting; copyrights

transitive verb

: to secure a copyright on

He has copyrighted all of his plays.

copyrightable

ˈkä-pē-ˌrī-tə-bəl 

adjective

copyright

3 of 3

adjective

: secured by copyright

copyright songs

Examples of copyright in a Sentence

Noun

His family still holds the copyright to his songs.

The book is under copyright.

Verb

He has copyrighted all of his plays.

Adjective

The copyright date is 2005.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The order sought to preserve potential evidence in a copyright infringement lawsuit raised by news organizations. —ArsTechnica, 23 June 2025

These annotations track shot type, asset source, and other variables across the timeline, which is critical to copyright protection. —Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

Verb

Google spent years beating back legal challenges from authors to its online book library, which included many newer and copyrighted works. —Matt O'Brien, Christian Science Monitor, 13 June 2025

The Bay Journal is copyrighted by Bay Journal Media. —Karl Blankenship, Baltimore Sun, 26 Apr. 2025

Adjective

There are already dozens of copyright lawsuits against AI companies winding through the US court system—including a class action lawsuit visual artists brought against Midjourney in 2023—but this is the first time major Hollywood studios have jumped into the fray. —Kate Knibbs, Wired News, 11 June 2025

Presumably just as they were paid (or not) by lords and monarchs who commissioned musical works for weddings and entertainments before copyright law was a thing. —Bill Hochberg, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1735, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1806, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for copyright

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

copyright

1 of 2 noun

copy·​right -ˌrīt 

: the legal right to be the only one to reproduce, publish, or sell the contents and form of a literary, musical, or artistic work

copyright adjective

copyright

2 of 2 verb

: to get a copyright on

Legal Definition

copyright

1 of 2 noun

copy·​right ˈkä-pē-ˌrīt 

: a person's exclusive right to reproduce, publish, or sell his or her original work of authorship (as a literary, musical, dramatic, artistic, or architectural work) see also common-law copyright, fair use at use sense 2, infringe, intellectual property at property, international copyright, original, public domain compare patent, trademark

Note: Copyrights are governed by the Copyright Act of 1976 contained in title 17 of the U.S. Code. The Act protects published or unpublished works that are fixed in a tangible medium of expression from which they can be perceived. The Act does not protect matters such as an idea, process, system, or discovery. Protection under the Act extends for the life of the creator of the work plus seventy years after his or her death. For works created before January 1, 1978, but not copyrighted or in the public domain, the copyright starts on January 1, 1978, and extends for the same period as for other works, but in any case will not expire before December 31, 2002. If a work is published on or before December 31, 2002, the copyright will not expire before December 31, 2047. The Act abolishes protection under common law, as well as any rights available under state statute, in favor of the rights available under the provisions of the Act, with certain exceptions.

copyright adjective

copyright

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to secure a copyright on

copyrightability

ˌkä-pē-ˌrī-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

copyrightable

ˈkä-pē-ˌrī-tə-bəl 

adjective