copy
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copy¹
- /ˈkɒpi/ UK
- /ˈkɑpi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒpi
Where it comes from
From Middle English copy, copie, from Old French copie (“abundance, plenty; transcript, copy”), from Medieval Latin copia (“reproduction, transcript”), from Latin cōpia (“plenty, abundance”), from *coopia, from co- (“together”) + ops (“wealth, riches”). More at opulent.
noun copies · coppy · coppie · copie
- The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original. Please bring me at least 200 copies of this report. The photocopier is down the hall on the right.
- The result of gene or chromosomal duplication. Every cell in this organism contains a copy of each gene, but whether that copy will be expressed depends on complex factors of cell differentiation and epigenetics.
- An imitation, sometimes of inferior quality. That handbag is a copy. You can tell because the buckle is different.
- The text (words, content) that is to be typeset or similarly prepared and published. This organization doesn't publish any copy that hasn't been edited by a good copy editor.
- The output of copywriters, who are employed to write material which encourages consumers to buy goods or services. ad copy; advertising copy
- The text to be set into newspaper articles, magazine pages, or similar. Submit all copy to the appropriate editor.
- A person employed to carry copy and run errands.
- A schoolwork pad or workbook. Tim got in trouble for forgetting his maths copy.
- A particular instance of a book: a single printed impression or digital file representing it. Our town's public library has several copies of the Bible, in each of several editions.
- A particular instance of an issue of a periodical (e.g., magazine, journal, bulletin): a single printed impression or digital file representing that issue; (metonymic) the issue. Have you seen the latest copy of Newsweek yet?
- Writing paper of a particular size: Synonym of bastard.
- That which is to be imitated, transcribed, or reproduced; a pattern, model, or example. His virtues are an excellent copy for imitation.
- An abundance or plenty of anything. [S]he was bleſt with no more Copie of wit, but to ſerue his Humor thus.
- copyhold; tenure; lease. But in them nature's copy's not eterne
Similar: duplicate, facsimile, fake, forgery, image, likeness, phony, reduplication, replica, replication, reproduction, sham, simulacrum · Opposite: original
copy²
- /ˈkɒpi/ UK
- /ˈkɑpi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒpi
Where it comes from
From Middle English copien, from Old French copier and Medieval Latin cōpiō.
verb copies · copying · copied · coppy · coppie
- To produce an object identical to a given object. Please copy these reports for me.
- To give or transmit a copy to (a person). Make sure you copy me on that important memo.
- To place a copy of an object in memory for later use. First copy the files, and then paste them in another directory.
- To imitate. Don't copy my dance moves.
- To receive a transmission successfully. Do you copy?
Similar: clone, copy, facsimile, replicate, reproduce · Opposite: miscopy
copy³
- /ˈkɒpi/ UK
- /ˈkɑpi/ US
Rhymes with -ɒpi
Where it comes from
Ellipsis of copy that.
interjection coppy · coppie · copie
-
Used to acknowledge that a message has been received and understood.
Similar: copy that, roger, roger that
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: simulate, transcript, imitate, emulate, re-create, ape, written matter, replicate, replica, reproduce, duplication, facsimile, duplicate, printed, plagiarize, printable
noun
Similar: duplicate, facsimile, fake, forgery, image, likeness, phony, reduplication, replica, replication, reproduction, sham, simulacrum · Opposite: original
Translations
Every language
noun result of copying
| Español | copia, trasunto |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 모사 mosa |
| 日本語 | コピー kopī, 複写 fukusha |
| 中文 | 摹本 móběn, 副本 fùběn, 拷貝 /拷贝 kǎobèi, 複製 /复制 fùzhì |
| हिन्दी | प्रतिलिपि pratilipi, अनुकृति anukŕti, कापी kāpī |
| Português | cópia |
| Français | copie |
| Deutsch | Kopie |
| Italiano | copia |
| Ελληνικά | αντίγραφο antígrafo |
| Română | copie |
| Русский | ко́пия kópija, дублика́т dublikát |
| Tiếng Việt | bản sao |
| العربية | نُسْخَة nusḵa |
| עברית | עותק \ עֹתֶק ótek, הֶעֱתֵק he'eték |
noun journalism: text to be typeset
| हिन्दी | प्रतिलिपि pratilipi |
|---|---|
| Русский | ру́копись rúkopisʹ, материа́л materiál |
| עברית | עותק \ עֹתֶק ótek, הֶעֱתֵק he'eték, חומר \ חֹמֶר khómer, תַּמְלִיל tamlíl, כְּתַב יָד ktav yad |
noun genetics: result of gene or chromosomal duplication
| Español | copia |
|---|---|
| Português | cópia |
| Français | copie |
| Italiano | copia |
noun imitation, sometimes of inferior quality
| 中文 | 剽竊 /剽窃 piāoqiè |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | अनुकृति anukŕti |
| Português | cópia, réplica |
| Français | copie |
| Deutsch | Nachahmung |
| Italiano | copia, replica |
| Ελληνικά | κακέκτυπο kakéktypo |
| Română | copie |
| Русский | ко́пия kópija, подде́лка poddélka |
| Tiếng Việt | bản nhái |
| עברית | חִקּוּי \ חיקוי khikúy |
noun text of newspaper articles
| हिन्दी | प्रति prati, प्रतिलिपि pratilipi |
|---|---|
| Kiswahili | nakala |
| Português | texto, redação |
| Français | copie |
| Ελληνικά | αντίγραφο antígrafo |
| Русский | ко́пия kópija, текст tekst |
noun printed edition of a book or magazine
| Español | ejemplar |
|---|---|
| हिन्दी | प्रति prati, प्रतिलिपि pratilipi |
| Português | exemplar |
| Français | copie, exemplaire, numéro |
| Deutsch | Exemplar |
| Italiano | copia |
| Ελληνικά | αντίτυπο antítypo |
| Română | exemplar |
| Русский | ко́пия kópija, экземпля́р ekzɛmpljár |
| Tiếng Việt | bản in, ấn bản |
| עברית | עותק \ עֹתֶק ótek |
verb produce something identical
| Español | copiar, trasuntar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 복사(複寫)하다 boksahada |
| 日本語 | 写す utsusu, コピーする kopī suru |
| 中文 | 複製 /复制 fùzhì |
| हिन्दी | अनुकृति करना anukŕti karnā, अनुकरण करना anukraṇ karnā |
| Português | copiar |
| Français | copier |
| Deutsch | kopieren |
| Italiano | copiare |
| Ελληνικά | αντιγράφω antigráfo |
| Română | copia |
| Русский | копи́ровать kopírovatʹ, дубли́ровать dublírovatʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | sao chép |
| العربية | اِنْتَسَخَ intasaḵa, نَسَخَ nasaḵa |
| עברית | הכין עותק hekhín ótek, העתיק |
verb place a copy in memory
| Español | copiar |
|---|---|
| Português | copiar |
| Deutsch | kopieren |
| Tiếng Việt | sao chép, copy, cóp |
verb imitate
| Español | imitar, copiar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 따라하다 ttarahada |
| हिन्दी | अनुकृति करना anukŕti karnā, अनुकरण करना anukraṇ karnā |
| Português | imitar, copiar |
| Français | imiter |
| Deutsch | nachmachen, nachahmen, imitieren |
| Italiano | imitare |
| Ελληνικά | αντιγράφω antigráfo, μιμούμαι mimoúmai, πλαστογραφώ plastografó |
| Română | copia, imita |
| Русский | подража́ть podražátʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | nhái |
| עברית | חיקה khiká |
Talk about this word "copy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/copy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. copy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/copy "copy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/copy.Cite this
@misc{copy_2026,
title = {copy},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/copy},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
