n. & v.
n. (pl. -ies) 1 a thing made to imitate or be identical to another. 2 a single specimen of a publication or issue (ordered twenty copies). 3 a matter to be printed. b material for a newspaper or magazine article (scandals make good copy). c the text of an advertisement. 4 a a model to be copied. b a page written after a model (of penmanship).
v. (-ies, -ied) 1 tr. a make a copy of. b (often foll. by out) transcribe. 2 intr. make a copy, esp. clandestinely. 3 tr. (foll. by to) send a copy of (a letter) to a third party. copy-edit edit (copy) for printing. copy editor a person who edits copy for printing. copy-typist a person who makes typewritten transcripts of documents.
[ ME f. OF copie, copier, ult. f. L copia abundance (in med.L = transcript) ]