# copyright

/ˈkɑpiˌɹaɪt/ (US) · /kˈɒpɪɹˌaɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/copyright
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. legal ownership of a work

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- 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'.

### 2. to protect a work

verb · CEFR B2

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to report a violation

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The author owns the copyright to her latest novel.
- Before you use that image on your website, you must check if it is protected by copyright or available for public use.
- The legal dispute centered on whether the software's unique architecture was eligible for copyright protection or if it constituted a functional process that could only be patented.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.