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cop·y
(kŏp′ē)n. pl. cop·ies
1.
a. An imitation or reproduction of an original; a duplicate: a copy of a painting; made two copies of the letter.
b. Computers A file that has the same data as another file: stored on the server a copy of every document.
c. One example of a printed text, picture, film, or recording: an autographed copy of a novel.
2.
a. Material, such as a manuscript, that is to be set in type.
b. The words to be printed or spoken in an advertisement.
c. Suitable source material for journalism: Celebrities make good copy.
v. cop·ied, cop·y·ing, cop·ies
v.tr.
1. To make a reproduction or copy of: copied the note letter for letter; copied the file to a disk.
2. To follow as a model or pattern; imitate. See Synonyms at imitate.
3. To include as an additional recipient of a written communication: Please copy me when you reply to her.
v.intr.
1. To make a copy or copies.
2. To admit of being copied: colored ink that does not copy well.
3. To hear clearly or understand something said by radio communication: Mayday. Do you copy?
[Middle English copie, from Old French, from Medieval Latin cōpia, transcript, from Latin, profusion; see op- in Indo-European roots.]
cop′y·a·ble, cop′i·a·ble adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.