early 14c., "written account or record," from Old French copie (13c.), from Medieval Latin copia "reproduction, transcript," from Latin copia "plenty, means" (see copious). Sense extended 15c. to any specimen of writing (especially MS for a printer) and any reproduction or imitation. Related: Copyist.
late 14c., from Old French copier (14c.), from Medieval Latin copiare "to transcribe," originally "to write in plenty," from Latin copia (see copy (n.)). Hence, "to write an original text many times." Related: Copied; copying. Figurative sense of "to imitate" is attested from 1640s.
A subject for an article in a newspaper, magazine, etc: She knew that Miss Gould was good ''copy'' (1880s+)
verbTo send a copy of a message to someone other than the immediate addressee: Copy Tina and tell her the mag is fast turning to compost (1980s+)