photocopy

1 of 2

noun

pho·​to·​copy ˈfō-tə-ˌkä-pē How to pronounce photocopy (audio)
: a copy of usually printed material made with a process in which an image is formed by the action of light usually on an electrically charged surface

photocopy

2 of 2

verb

photocopied; photocopying; photocopies

transitive verb

: to make a photocopy of

intransitive verb

: to make a photocopy
photocopier noun

Examples of photocopy in a Sentence

Noun She made a photocopy of the letter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Nebraska now requires a state ID number or photocopy of one's ID as part of a request for an absentee ballot. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 1 Aug. 2024 Which makes sense for a photocopy of an actual human being. Edan Lepucki, The Atlantic, 12 July 2024
Verb
This was long before the days where scientific publications were available online, and so the only way for scientists to peruse the latest research was to photocopy it from journals. David Cox, WIRED, 2 Dec. 2020 Essentially, 1990's algorithms used in photocopying and scanning compression are still lurking in modern communication software, with all of the flaws and baggage that come with them. Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 15 Dec. 2021 See all Example Sentences for photocopy 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

Noun

1879, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1924, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of photocopy was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near photocopy

Cite this Entry

“Photocopy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photocopy. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

photocopy

noun
pho·​to·​copy
ˈfōt-ə-ˌkäp-ē
: a copy of usually printed material made using a process in which an image is formed by the action of light on an electrically charged surface
photocopy verb

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