Copie

Copie is a noun in French meaning a duplicate or replica of an original; in English, copy bears the same sense. The term is used widely to denote an exact or near-exact reproduction, transcript, or surrogate. The word originates from Old French copie, itself from Latin copia, historically associated with a transcript or text that is copied for distribution.

Common uses include physical copies (printed duplicates), digital copies (files such as copies of documents, images, or software), and archival or master copies used as reference sources. In offices, a carbon copy or fan-out concept gives additional recipients a trace copy of a message or document.

In computing, copy refers to the operation of duplicating data. Languages distinguish shallow copy and deep copy, affecting whether internal references are duplicated or shared. Copy semantics impact programming, data structure behavior, and memory management.

Legal and ethical considerations: Copyright restrictions limit the reproduction of copyrighted works; licenses, permissions, and fair use govern the creation of copies. Museums and archives may maintain master copies and reproductions must be clearly identified.