ENGLISH
REFERENCE

copyright

n. · v.
US //ˈkɑpiˌɹaɪt// UK //kˈɒpɪɹˌaɪt// copy·right
  1. 1 legal ownership of a work (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    the legal right that prevents others from copying or selling your creative work without permission.

    the exclusive legal right, given to an originator or an assignee to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material.

    Example

    The author owns the copyright to all her novels, so you need her permission to make a movie.

    Example

    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'.
  2. 2 to protect a work (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Law

    to get legal protection for something you created so others cannot steal it.

    to secure the exclusive legal rights for a creative work by following official registration procedures.

    Example

    You should copyright your song before you share it on the internet.

    Example

    The studio moved quickly to copyright the script to prevent rival producers from developing a similar concept.
Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 to report a violation (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Slang Computing

    to report a video or post because it uses someone else's work without permission.

    to issue a formal notice or 'strike' against digital content for infringing upon intellectual property rights.

    Example

    His video was copyrighted because he used a famous song in the background.

    Example

    The creator complained that his review was unfairly copyrighted by the studio, despite his use of the footage falling under fair use guidelines.

    Teacher's tip

    In internet slang, users often say a video 'got copyrighted' to mean it was flagged or removed for infringement.
Origin

From copy + right.

© 2026 English Reference