Copyist - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
A copyist is a person who makes written copies of documents or manuscripts by hand. This role was especially important before printing technology became widely available.
Definition:
A person who makes copies, especially of documents or artistic works.
Synonyms:
scribe, transcriber, duplicator
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
original creator, innovator
Common Collocations:
skilled copyist, professional copyist, medieval copyist
Derivatives:
copyism, copyistic
Usage Tips:
Use "copyist" to describe someone who replicates texts or artworks, not the original creator.
Common Phrases:
master copyist, anonymous copyist, court copyist
Etymology:
Derived from Latin "copia" (abundance) and suffix "-ist," meaning one who copies.
Examples:
- 1. The museum hired a skilled copyist to reproduce the ancient manuscript.
- 2. A medieval copyist spent years transcribing religious texts by hand.
- 3. She worked as a copyist for a famous artist, replicating his paintings.
- 4. The library preserves both originals and copies made by a 19th-century copyist.