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copy

/ˈkɑpi/
nounverb

COPY meaning: a duplicate, imitation, or text prepared for publication; COPY scores 11 Scrabble points.

NWL Collins ENABLE

Noun 4 meanings

  1. The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original.

    “Please bring me at least 200 copies of this report. The photocopier is down the hall on the right.”

  2. An imitation, sometimes of inferior quality.

    “That handbag is a copy. You can tell because the buckle is different.”

  3. The text (words, content) that is to be typeset or similarly prepared and published.

    “This organization doesn't publish any copy that hasn't been edited by a good copy editor.”

  4. A person employed to carry copy and run errands.

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To produce an object identical to a given object.

    “Please copy these reports for me.”

  2. To give or transmit a copy to (a person).

    “Make sure you copy me on that important memo.”

  3. To place a copy of an object in memory for later use.

    “First copy the files, and then paste them in another directory.”

  4. To imitate.

    “Don't copy my dance moves.”

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English copy, copie, from Old French copie (“abundance, plenty; transcript, copy”), from Medieval Latin copia (“reproduction, transcript”), from Latin cōpia (“plenty, abundance”), from *coopia, from co- (“together”) + ops (“wealth, riches”). More at opulent.

Similar and opposite words

Similar
duplicatefacsimilefakeforgeryimagelikenessphonyreduplication
Opposite
originalmiscopy

COPY packs several familiar ideas into four letters: a duplicate, an imitation, or text prepared for publication. Its Scrabble value is 11, with the Y carrying more than any other tile in the word. The letter set has no anagrams, but one-letter changes produce neighbours such as COPE and COPS, while the -opy ending links COPY to CANOPY and PHOTOCOPY.

COPY at a glance

  • COPY is four letters long and scores 11 points in Scrabble.
  • The C and P tiles are worth 3 points each; O is worth 1 and Y is worth 4.
  • COPE, COPS, and COZY each differ from COPY by one letter.
  • CANOPY, ENTROPY, and PHOTOCOPY share COPY’s final -opy sound.

COPY meaning and its 11-point score

COPY has three closely related senses: the result of copying, an imitation, and text prepared for typesetting or publication. In everyday use, “send me a copy” usually means a duplicate; in publishing, “the copy” can mean the words being prepared for print. The shared idea is reproduction, whether of an object or of text.

The Scrabble total comes from C (3), O (1), P (3), and Y (4), adding to 11 before any board bonus. Y supplies the largest single tile value, while the two 3-point consonants contribute 6 together. That makes COPY a solid score from ordinary tiles, but its value depends on where you place it and which premium squares you reach.

What words are close to COPY?

COPY has 14 one-letter neighbours. COPE changes the last tile, COPS changes the final letter too, and COZY replaces the middle pair while keeping the opening C. Other recorded neighbours include COSY, ROPY, and DOPY; several are less familiar, so check your game's word list before relying on an unusual option.

The -opy rhyme family has 12 entries, from everyday CANOPY and PHOTOCOPY to more technical ENTROPY, MICROSCOPY, and SPECTROSCOPY. COPY itself has zero anagrams in the recorded set, so rearranging C, O, P, and Y does not produce another listed word. For a close clue rather than a rhyme, compare the C-starting and Y-ending four-letter lists.

Rhymes with copy

All rhymes
  • CANOPY13
  • PHILANTHROPY25
  • SPECTROSCOPY23
  • ENTROPY12
  • MICROSCOPY21
  • SNOOPY11
  • COLONOSCOPY20
  • ENDOSCOPY17
  • PHOTOCOPY21
  • LOOPY10
  • DROOPY12
  • POOPY12

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • COPS8
  • COPE8
  • COZY18
  • CORY9
  • COSY9
  • CONY9
  • COPI8
  • ROPY9
  • COXY16
  • COLY9
  • MOPY11
  • DOPY10
  • COWY12
  • COKY13

Questions people ask

What does COPY mean?
COPY means a duplicate or the result of copying, an imitation, or text prepared for publication. The sense depends on context: a copy of a file is a duplicate, while copy in a publishing workflow refers to words being edited or typeset.
How many points is COPY worth in Scrabble?
COPY is worth 11 points before board bonuses. C and P are each worth 3, O is worth 1, and Y is worth 4. A letter or word premium square can change the total, so the final score depends on the placement.
Can you make an anagram from COPY?
No anagrams are recorded for COPY. Changing one letter instead gives neighbours such as COPE, COPS, and COZY. Those are substitutions, not rearrangements, because each keeps the letters in a different combination or replaces a tile.

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