Word
copier
Phoneticscopi·er
US/ˈkɑpiɝ/
UK/kˈɒpiə/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a machine that makes paper copies of documents or pictures. You see one in most offices next to the printer.
n. a machine that reproduces text or images onto paper, typically by photographic or digital means.
Examples
“The office copier makes fifty copies in a minute.”
“Our office copier jammed again, so I scanned the contract and emailed it instead.”
“The library's aging copier still handles large print jobs, though patrons increasingly prefer to scan fragile volumes rather than press them flat.”
Examples
simple
“The office copier makes fifty copies in a minute.”
contextual
“Our office copier jammed again, so I scanned the contract and emailed it instead.”
complex
“The library's aging copier still handles large print jobs, though patrons increasingly prefer to scan fragile volumes rather than press them flat.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “copier” in context.
Verb
01. copier jams
“The copier jams every time someone tries to print on thick cardstock.”
noun + verb
02. copier overheats
“If the copier overheats, turn it off and wait ten minutes before trying again.”
noun + verb
03. fix copier
“The maintenance worker is coming this afternoon to fix the copier in the hallway.”
verb + noun
04. load copier
“Could you please load the copier with more paper before you leave?”
verb + noun
05. operate copier
“New employees are given a short demonstration on how to operate the copier safely.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. color copier
“Please use the color copier only for final presentations, as the ink is expensive.”
adj + noun
07. digital copier
“The office upgraded to a high-speed digital copier to handle the large volume of paperwork.”
adj + noun
08. faulty copier
“We need to call a technician to look at this faulty copier; it keeps jamming.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. copier paper
“We are running low on copier paper, so I need to order five more boxes.”
noun + noun
10. clear a copier jam
“The instructions on the screen show you how to clear a copier jam step by step.”
11. stand by the copier
“I spent half the morning standing by the copier waiting for my reports.”
Real-World Examples
“The button waiting to be pushed, the whir of action, the neat reproduction dropping into the tray—all this adds up to a heady experience, and the neophyte operator of a copier feels an impulse to copy all the papers in his pockets,” as John Brooks wrote in a 1967 New Yorker article.” “In 1959, it introduced an office copier called the Haloid Xerox 914, a machine that, unlike its numerous competitors, made sharp, permanent copies on ordinary paper—a huge breakthrough.” “Today’s copiers and printers have automated and refined all the steps, moving paper at speeds of more than 250 feet a minute, digitally creating and exposing images, and producing images in a rainbow of colors.” “I now believed, in other words, that I would never make that copy unless l made it on one of those little personal copiers that Jack Kingman is so enthusiastic about on television.” Etymology
From copy + -er.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/copier