copy

/ˈkɒpi/

//ˈkɒpi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"copy" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“copy” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,752 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,752
frequency rank, English
4
letters
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

copy vs cp
50% similar
copy vs cup
50% similar
copy vs cry
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for copy
PropertyValue
Headwordcopy
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɒpi/
Letters4
Frequency rank#1,752
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “copy” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). copy lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for copy is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈkɒpi/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,752 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for copy, with forms such as "ccopy", "coppy", and "copyy". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "cp", "cup", "cry", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Etymology tree Middle English copy English copy 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, fro… The correct English form is copy, spelled C-O-P-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original.
  2. 2
    The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original.
  3. 3
    An imitation, sometimes of inferior quality.
  4. 4
    The text (words, content) that is to be typeset or similarly prepared and published.
  5. 5
    The text (words, content) that is to be typeset or similarly prepared and published.
  6. 6
    The text (words, content) that is to be typeset or similarly prepared and published.
  7. 7
    A person employed to carry copy and run errands.
  8. 8
    A schoolwork pad or workbook.
  9. 9
    A particular instance of a book: a single printed impression or digital file representing it.
  10. 10
    A particular instance of an issue of a periodical (e.g., magazine, journal, bulletin): a single printed impression or digital file representing that issue; (metonynmically) the issue.
  11. 11
    Writing paper of a particular size: Synonym of bastard.
  12. 12
    That which is to be imitated, transcribed, or reproduced; a pattern, model, or example.
  13. 13
    An abundance or plenty of anything.
  14. 14
    copyhold; tenure; lease.

Etymology

Etymology tree Middle English copy English copy 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.

Synonyms

duplicatefacsimilefakeforgeryimagelikenessphonyreduplicationreplicareplicationreproductionshamsimulacrum

Antonyms

original

This word in other languages

copia(Español)copie(Français)Kopie(Deutsch)cópia(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ccopy,coppy,copyy,coyp,cpoy,ocpy

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of copy - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccopy1coppy1copyy1coyp2cpoy2ocpy2
Edit distance from "copy"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "copy"?
"copy" is spelled C-O-P-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɒpi/.
What does "copy" mean?
As a noun, "copy" means: The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original.
What words are commonly confused with "copy"?
"copy" is commonly confused with "cp", "cup", "cry". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "copy"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "copy" is /ˈkɒpi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "copy"?
Etymology tree Middle English copy English copy 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 *c... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “copy”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-P-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkɒpi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “cp” - see the side-by-side comparison. copy vs cp
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list