copyright

[ kop-ee-rahyt ]

noun

1. the exclusive right none to make copies none, license, and otherwise exploit a literary, musical, or artistic work, whether printed, audio, video, etc.: works granted such right none by law on or after January 1, 1978, are protected for the lifetime of an author or creator and for a period of 70 years after their death.

adjective

1. of or relating to copyrights.
2. Also copy·righted. protected by copyright.

verb (used with object)

1. to secure a copyright on.

©

¹

symbol for

1. copyright

copyright

²

/ ˈkɒpɪˌraɪt /

noun

1. the exclusive right to produce copies and to control an original literary, musical, or artistic work, granted by law for a specified number of years (in Britain, usually 70 years from the death of the author, composer, etc, or from the date of publication if later) (c)

adjective

1. (of a work, etc) subject to or controlled by copyright

verb

1. tr to take out a copyright on

copyright

¹

1. A grant of an exclusive right to produce or sell a book, motion picture, work of art, musical composition, software , or similar product during a specified period of time.

copyright

²

1. The legal protection given to published works, forbidding anyone but the author from publishing or selling them. An author can transfer the copyright to another person or corporation, such as a publishing company.

Notes

The symbol (see also symbol ) for copyright is ©.

Derived Forms

• ˈcopyˌrighter, noun
• ˈcopyˌrightable, adjective

Other Words From

• copy·righta·ble adjective
• copy·righter noun
• un·copy·righted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of copyright¹

First recorded in 1725–35; copy none + right none

Example Sentences

The snap judgment among legal experts was that a federal judge’s dismissal on Nov. 7 of a copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI, the leader in advanced chatbots, will short-circuit an ever-growing effort by artists and writers to keep AI firms from stealing their content.

From Los Angeles Times

McMahon’s ruling, based on a Supreme Court decision in an unrelated case, “could leave AI copyright claims on shaky ground,” wrote Los Angeles intellectual property lawyer Aaron Moss on his website.

From Los Angeles Times

The judge not only dismissed Raw Story’s case; she implied that no copyright holder might be able to show enough harm from AI scraping to win an infringement case.

From Los Angeles Times

That’s because the case brings together two muddy legal regimes: copyright law, which is renowned for its craziness and confusion; and AI law, which may be years away from coalescing into coherence.

From Los Angeles Times

At least 12 lawsuits against AI developers alleging copyright violations are currently wending their way through the federal courts — with plaintiffs including the publishers of Mother Jones, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times; the music recording industry; and writers Michael Chabon and Sarah Silverman.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• absorb
• exclude
• possess
• take over
• utilize