copy
copy — verb
1. to create a new item that matches an existing piece of work, such as a painting,
to create a new item that matches an existing piece of work, such as a painting, document, or melody, so that both look or sound alike
Ayesha copied the painting by Van Gogh for her art class project.
copy + direct object (what is copied)
The library lets visitors copy old newspaper pages using special equipment.
That folk song was copied from an old tune that farmers sang in the 1800s.
passive: be copied from [source]
Lakan copied the recipe from his grandmother's notebook before she passed away.
- copy by hand
- copy exactly
- copy faithfully
- original
the first version from which copies are made
Grammar Patterns
copy + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
copy + noun phrase + onto/in + noun phrase
Usage Note
Object can be a physical item (painting, document) or non-physical (song, style). Often takes 'from' to name the source.
Common Mistakes
2. to act, talk, or dress like another person, usually because you admire them or w
to act, talk, or dress like another person, usually because you admire them or want to be similar to them
Young children often copy the way their parents speak without realizing it.
copy + noun clause (the way [someone] [verb]s)
Brian copied the dance moves from the music video and performed them at the party.
Some smartphone brands copy the features of more expensive models to attract buyers.
Eri copied her older sister's hairstyle for the school photo day.
copy + possessive + noun (someone's style/look)
- copy someone's style
- copy someone's behavior
- copy a technique
- originate
to create something new rather than copy what exists
Grammar Patterns
copy + noun phrase (person or behavior)
copy + noun phrase + 's + noun
Usage Note
Often used for children, students, or competitors who model themselves on someone else. Can be positive (admiration) or negative (lack of originality).
Common Mistakes
3. to make an identical version of a computer file, folder, or digital document so
to make an identical version of a computer file, folder, or digital document so that the original and the new version both exist on a device or storage system
Please copy the report onto the shared drive before Friday afternoon.
copy [file] onto [destination]
Liam copied all his vacation photos to an external hard drive for safekeeping.
The backup system copies your work files every night just after midnight.
Selim copied the spreadsheet and saved the new version with a different name.
copy + noun + 'and saved' (two-step action)
- copy a file
- copy data
- copy a folder
- copy a document
- back up
focuses on keeping a copy for safety, not just duplication
- delete
to remove a file permanently, the opposite of copying it
Grammar Patterns
copy + noun phrase + to/onto + noun phrase
copy + noun phrase + into + noun phrase
Usage Note
Frequently used in computing contexts. The destination is introduced by 'to', 'onto', or 'into'. Can also be used without a destination when focusing on the act of duplication itself.
4. to take words, pictures, or other digital material from one area of a screen and
to take words, pictures, or other digital material from one area of a screen and put an exact version of them in a different spot
Marco copied the address from the email and pasted it into the search bar.
copy + from [source] + and paste + into [destination]
You can copy text from any website and paste it into your word processor.
Dario copied the chart from one slide and added it to the presentation deck.
The student copied a paragraph from a website and pasted it into his essay without citing it.
copy + from [source] + into [document] (with ethical implication)
- copy and paste
- copy text
- copy an image
- copy a link
Grammar Patterns
copy + noun phrase + from + noun phrase + and paste + into + noun phrase
copy + noun phrase + (and) + paste
Usage Note
Almost always used together with 'paste' (as 'copy and paste') when describing the full operation. On its own, 'copy' refers only to selecting and storing the content temporarily.
Common Mistakes
5. used in radio or telephone exchanges to confirm that a message was received and
used in radio or telephone exchanges to confirm that a message was received and understood, or to check whether the other person can hear you
"We are ready for takeoff, control tower. Do you copy?" the pilot asked.
question: 'Do you copy?' for checking reception
"Copy that — we will arrive at the meeting point by noon," Andrei replied over the radio.
response: 'Copy that' for acknowledgment
The driver said "Copy" into the microphone to confirm he understood the dispatch message.
"Do you copy my message? The road ahead is closed," the officer shouted into the radio.
- copy that
- do you copy
- loud and clear
- acknowledge
more formal; used in professional radio communication
Grammar Patterns
'Copy that'
'Do you copy?'
'Copy' as one-word response
Usage Note
This sense belongs to radio jargon. 'Copy that' means 'I heard and understood.' 'Do you copy?' asks if the listener can hear you clearly. These phrases are rarely used outside radio, walkie-talkie, or film dialogue.
Common Mistakes
copy in
phrasal verbto include someone as a recipient of an email message by adding their email address in the CC field
Please copy me in when you send the project update to the team.
João copied his manager in on the email chain so everyone could see the progress.
copy — noun
1. an object created to match an existing original in appearance or content — for e
an object created to match an existing original in appearance or content — for example, a second version of a letter, painting, or audio track
This painting is not the original masterpiece — it is just a cheap copy.
article + adjective + copy (a cheap copy)
Jabari kept a copy of every important document he signed over the years.
keep a copy of [document]
The artist sold hand-painted copies of her work at the weekend market.
Please make three copies of this form and give one to each office manager.
make [number] copies of [document]
- make a copy
- keep a copy
- exact copy
- cheap copy
- carbon copy
- duplicate
more formal; suggests an exact copy, often intended to replace the original
- reproduction
formal; often used for art or antiques
- replica
a very accurate copy, often of a valuable object or building
- original
the first version that was created
Usage Note
Often contrasted with 'original' — a copy is made after the original exists. Can refer to physical items (paper, art) or digital files.
2. one individual item from a set of published works, such as a specific book from
one individual item from a set of published works, such as a specific book from a print run or a single issue of a magazine
The local library has twenty copies of that popular novel by the Japanese author.
quantity + copies of [title]
Mira bought a signed copy of the poet's latest collection at the bookshop.
adjective + copy (signed copy)
I need one more copy of today's newspaper for my history project on current events.
Only fifty copies of the first edition were ever printed and sold worldwide.
- signed copy
- hard copy
- free copy
- copy of a book
- copy of a newspaper
Usage Note
Unlike noun sense 1 (a 'duplicate'), this sense refers to one item from a print run — each is an original instance, not a copy of another copy.
3. the words that are written for a newspaper, magazine, advertisement, or website,
the words that are written for a newspaper, magazine, advertisement, or website, intended to be read by the public
The advertising copy for the new smartphone needs to be approved by marketing this week.
advertising copy (common compound noun)
The editor asked for cleaner copy before the deadline at five o'clock.
Mira wrote the copy for the company's new website and product catalog.
write + copy (collocation)
Good copy makes readers want to learn more about the product being described.
- write copy
- advertising copy
- marketing copy
- copy editor
- clean copy
- text
more general term for any written words
- content
broader; includes images, video, and text
- manuscript
refers to the original text before publication
Usage Note
In this sense, 'copy' is uncountable (no 'a copy') — it means the body of text itself, not a duplicate. Common in journalism, advertising, and publishing.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
'Copy' is the everyday word for making something that looks or sounds like an original — you can copy a document, a painting, or someone's hairstyle. 'Duplicate' is more formal and technical; it stresses exactness and is common in computing and manufacturing ('duplicate a key,' 'duplicate a file'). 'Reproduce' emphasizes the process of recreating, often mechanically or biologically ('reproduce a photograph,' 'cells reproduce'). 'Imitate' shifts focus from the result to the behavior — you imitate a person, not a document ('imitate a celebrity's voice'). In everyday English, use 'copy' for objects and files, 'imitate' for people and actions.
Common collocations
Nouns
- copy a document
- copy a file
- copy a painting
- copy a recording
- copy data
Adverbs
- copy exactly
- copy faithfully
- copy directly
- copy carefully
Phrases
- copy and paste
- make a copy of
- keep a copy of
- a copy of the letter
Prepositions
- copy from
- copy into
- copy onto
- copy to
Etymology
The word 'copy' came into English through French, from the Latin word 'copia', which meant 'abundance' or 'plenty'. Over time, the meaning shifted from 'plenty' to 'a written record that preserves the content of an original' — since having many copies of something was seen as an abundance of that work. The sense expanded from written documents to include art, recordings, and eventually digital files.