copy
copy
Pronunciation
/ˈkɒp.i/
Syllable Breakdown:
cop-: /ˈkɒp/
-y: /i/
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: copy
Plural: copies
Verb:
Base form: copy
Third-person singular present: copies
Present participle: copying
Past tense: copied
Past participle: copied
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A duplicate or reproduction of an original document, image, object, or piece of information.
Synonyms: duplicate, reproduction, replica, facsimile, print, exemplar
Antonyms: original, prototype, archetype
The text or matter that is to be set in type or used in a publication, advertisement, or broadcast.
Synonyms: manuscript, script, text, material, content
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; refers to the nature of the material itself)
Verb
To make a duplicate or reproduction of something.
Synonyms: duplicate, reproduce, replicate, photocopy, imitate, mimic
Antonyms: originate, create, invent, generate
To imitate or emulate the actions, style, or behavior of someone or something else.
Synonyms: imitate, mimic, ape, parrot, emulate, follow, mirror
Antonyms: innovate, differentiate, deviate, individualize
To plagiarize; to use someone else's work or ideas and pretend that they are your own.
Synonyms: plagiarize, appropriate, steal, pirate, crib
Antonyms: cite, attribute, credit, originate
Examples of Use
Books:
"Hold fast to dreams, For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams, For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow." This widely quoted poem by Langston Hughes has been reproduced in countless anthologies and educational texts, with each printing being a copy of the original (Langston Hughes, The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, 1994).
A librarian might note, "We have three copies of The Great Gatsby currently checked out, and two on the shelf."
Newspapers:
"The newspaper reported that a rare first edition of Don Quixote sold for a record price, with only a handful of authenticated copies known to exist." ( The New York Times)
"Journalists often work on tight deadlines, constantly revising their copy before it goes to print." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
An article on a tech blog might advise, "Before you delete that important file, always make a backup copy to an external drive." (TechCrunch)
"Many online news outlets allow readers to copy and paste excerpts of articles for personal use, provided proper attribution is given." (Poynter.org)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In a movie about art forgery, the protagonist might lament, "This isn't the original; it's a perfect copy, almost indistinguishable."
Music: When discussing sampling, a musician might explain, "We decided to copy that iconic drum beat from a 70s funk track and integrate it into our new song."
Video Games: A common feature in many video games allows players to "save a copy" of their game progress at various points.
Streaming Services: "Pirated copies of popular movies often appear on illegal streaming sites shortly after their theatrical release."
General Public Discourse:
"Could you make a copy of this key for me? I need a spare."
"Don't just copy what everyone else is doing; try to be original."
"The new intern is doing a great job; she's quick to learn and copies instructions perfectly."
"I need to make a quick copy of these documents before the meeting."
10 Quotes Using Copy
"Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed from one another. The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours, kindle it at home, communicate it to others, and it becomes the property of all." (Voltaire, Philosophical Dictionary, 1764)
"What I tell you three times is true." (Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark, 1876)
"No man is a whole, but a part of a whole." (John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, 1624)
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." (Winston Churchill)
"Art is a copy of nature." (Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilius, c. 65 AD)
"There is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9, King James Version)
"We are all copy cats in the sense that we learn by imitating." (Ralph Waldo Emerson) -
"Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing." (William Shakespeare, Macbeth, c. 1606)
"The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates)
"Good artists copy, great artists steal." (Pablo Picasso)
Etymology
The word "copy" has a fascinating journey through languages!
It entered English in the Middle English period (around the 1300s). Its direct ancestor is the Old French word "copie," which itself came from the Medieval Latin word "copia."
Now, here's where it gets interesting: the Latin "copia" originally meant "abundance," "plenty," or "an ample supply." Think of "copious" (meaning abundant) – that's a direct relative!
So, how did "abundance" turn into "a duplicate"? In Medieval Latin, "copia" started to be used in phrases like "to have the power to make many" or "to have the right of reproduction." This shifted the meaning from just "plenty" to specifically "plenty of reproductions" or "a transcript."
So, the first known meaning of "copy" in English was "a written account or record," and from there, it quickly developed into the idea of "a duplication, imitation, or reproduction" of something, whether written or otherwise. It's like having "plenty" of a particular text or image led to the concept of each one being a "copy."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Copy
Copy and paste: To transfer text or data electronically from one location to another.
Carbon copy: An exact duplicate or a person who is very similar to another.
To copycat: To imitate or mimic someone else's actions, ideas, or style.
To make a copy: To create a duplicate of something.
Hard copy: A printed version of a document or file, as opposed to a digital one.
Soft copy: A digital version of a document or file.
To copy something down: To write something out, transcribing it from another source.
To get a copy of something: To obtain a duplicate of a document, book, etc.
A copy-book example: A perfect or typical example of something (often used in a slightly critical or sarcastic way, implying lack of originality).
To copy out: To write something again, typically by hand, from an original.
Supplementary Phrases (using synonyms or similar effects):
To ape someone's style: To imitate or mimic someone's mannerisms or fashion.
A spitting image: An exact likeness, a perfect duplicate.
To follow suit: To do the same as someone else.
To mirror someone's actions: To perfectly reflect or imitate what another person is doing.
To duplicate an effort: To repeat work that has already been done.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of copy from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
