# copyleft

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The philosophy of using copyrights to enforce freedom of information, especially software source code.
2. A software license that follows this philosophy.

## Etymology
A pun on copyright, which refers to using copyright laws for purposes that are in some ways contrary to copyright's original intent.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/copyleft