Words / B1

KOP-eer-yt/ˈkɒpiraɪt/

Copyright is the legal right to control copies of a work: protected by copyright; copyright infringement. Copy is everyday; a patent protects inventions; a trademark protects a brand. Uncountable. Do not paste a full article into an essay. UK exams and universities treat copyright and plagiarism as linked but not identical.

Meaning

The legal right to control how a book, song, or image is copied and used.

Examples

• “You must not copy the article in full because of copyright.”
• “The image was labelled copyright-free, which still needs a check of the licence.”

Good to know

Uncountable: copyright; breach / infringement of copyright. Inventions: patent. Brands: trademark. Not the same as plagiarism, but related in coursework.

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