copy

[ kop-ee ]
See synonyms for: copycopiedcopiescopying on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural cop·ies, for 1, 2, 8, 10.
  1. an imitation, reproduction, or transcript of an original: a copy of a famous painting.

  2. one of the various examples or specimens of the same book, engraving, or the like.

  1. written matter intended to be reproduced in printed form: The editor sent the copy for the next issue to the printer.

  2. the text of a news story, advertisement, television commercial, etc., as distinguished from related visual material.

  3. the newsworthiness of a person, thing, or event (often preceded by good or bad): The president is always good copy.: Compare news (def. 4).

  4. Computers. an exact duplicate of a file, program, etc.: Keep a backup copy of the document.

  5. Printing. pictures and artwork prepared for reproduction.

  6. British Informal. (in schools) a composition; a written assignment.

  7. British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 16 × 20 inches (40 × 50 centimeters).

  8. Archaic. something that is to be reproduced; an example or pattern, as of penmanship to be copied by a pupil.

verb (used with object),cop·ied, cop·y·ing.
  1. to make a copy of; transcribe; reproduce: to copy a set of figures from a book.

  2. to receive and understand (a radio message or its sender).

  1. to follow as a pattern or model; imitate.

  2. Computers. to make an exact duplicate of (a file, selected text, etc.) and store in another location or in temporary memory: Can I copy the program to another computer? Copy the selected paragraph to the clipboard.: Compare cut (def. 25), paste (def. 13).

verb (used without object),cop·ied, cop·y·ing.
  1. to make a copy or copies.

  2. to undergo copying: It copied poorly.I can't install the program—one file won't copy.

  1. to hear or receive a radio message, as over a CB radio: Do you copy?

  2. Also cocky. Newfoundland. to leap from one ice pan to another across open water.

Idioms about copy

  1. copy the mail, Citizens Band Radio Slang. mail1 (def. 11).

Origin of copy

1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English copie (from Anglo-French ) from Medieval Latin cōpia “abundance, something copied,” Latin: “wealth, abundance”; see copious; (def. 18) originally a children's game, from the phrase copy the leader

synonym study For copy

14. See imitate.

Other words for copy

Opposites for copy

Other words from copy

  • pre·cop·y, noun, plural pre·cop·ies, verb (used with object), pre·cop·ied, pre·cop·y·ing.
  • re·cop·y, verb (used with object), re·cop·ied, re·cop·y·ing.
  • un·cop·ied, adjective
  • well-cop·ied, adjective

Words Nearby copy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use copy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for copy

copy

/ (ˈkɒpɪ) /


nounplural copies
  1. an imitation or reproduction of an original

  2. a single specimen of something that occurs in a multiple edition, such as a book, article, etc

    • matter to be reproduced in print

    • written matter or text as distinct from graphic material in books, newspapers, etc

  1. the words used to present a promotional message in an advertisement

  2. journalism informal suitable material for an article or story: disasters are always good copy

  3. archaic a model to be copied, esp an example of penmanship

verbcopies, copying or copied
  1. (when tr, often foll by out) to make a copy or reproduction of (an original)

  2. (tr) to imitate as a model

  1. (intr) to imitate unfairly

Origin of copy

1
C14: from Medieval Latin cōpia an imitation, something copied, from Latin: abundance, riches; see copious

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012