Definitions
01legal ownership of a work
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law
n. the legal right that prevents others from copying or selling your creative work without permission.
n. the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material.
日本語:著作権※
“The author owns the copyright to all her novels, so you need her permission to make a movie.”
“Under international law, copyright is typically granted automatically upon the creation of an original work, though formal registration provides additional legal protections.”
Usage
Often used with the prepositions 'on' or 'to'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02to protect a work
B2 · Upper Intermediate Law
v. to get legal protection for something you created so others cannot steal it.
v. to secure the exclusive legal rights for a creative work by following official registration procedures.
“You should copyright your song before you share it on the internet.”
“The studio moved quickly to copyright the script to prevent rival producers from developing a similar concept.”
03to report a violation
C1 · Advanced Computing Informal · Slang
v. to report a video or post because it uses someone else's work without permission.
v. to issue a formal notice or 'strike' against digital content for infringing upon intellectual property rights.
“His video was copyrighted because he used a famous song in the background.”
“The creator complained that his review was unfairly copyrighted by the studio, despite his use of the footage falling under fair use guidelines.”
Teaching tip
In internet slang, users often say a video 'got copyrighted' to mean it was flagged or removed for infringement.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “copyright” in context.
Verb
01. assign the copyright to the publisher
“The author decided to assign the copyright to the publisher in exchange for a larger upfront royalty payment.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. hold the copyright
“Although he wrote the lyrics, the record label continues to hold the copyright to all his early hits.”
verb + noun
03. infringe copyright
“The company was sued for millions after they were found to infringe copyright by using the melody without permission.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. subject to copyright
“Please note that all images on this website are subject to copyright and cannot be used for commercial purposes.”
adj + prep
Noun
05. copyright infringement
“Uploading full movies to social media platforms is a clear case of copyright infringement.”
noun + noun
06. copyright law
“Digital streaming has forced legislators to modernize copyright law to protect independent artists.”
noun + noun
07. expiration of copyright
“Following the expiration of copyright, the classic novel entered the public domain and became free for anyone to print.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
08. in breach of copyright
“The court ruled that the software developer was in breach of copyright by copying the source code of a competitor.”
prep + noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“In 2025, a judge ruled using books purchased in this way to train AI software was not a violation of US copyright law.” “Richardson was a printer before he was an author and hung on to his own copyrights.” Etymology
From copy + right.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/copyright
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0