egzemplarzy

Egzemplarz is a Polish noun meaning a single copy or specimen of a published work, document, or physical item. It is used to refer to an individual item within a larger set, such as a book, report, or artifact. The word has a closely related plural form egzemplarze in the nominative case, and egzemplarzy in the genitive plural, which is used after numerals and in constructions requiring the genitive.

Etymology and forms: The term derives from Latin exemplum and has entered Polish via historical contact with German and French, where similar words exist (for example Exemplar or exemplaire). In Polish, egzemplarz forms decline as a standard masculine noun: singular egzemplarz; genitive singular egzemplarza; nominative plural egzemplarze; genitive plural egzemplarzy. The genitive plural egzemplarzy is commonly used after numbers and in phrases like liczba egzemplarzy or ilość egzemplarzy.

Usage and context: Egzemplarzy is frequently used in publishing, libraries, archives, administration, and commerce to indicate quantities of copies produced, distributed, or held. It appears after numerals (e.g., dziesięć egzemplarzy, sto egzemplarzy) and in phrases describing stock, distribution, or availability. The noun egzemplarze is used when referring to several copies in the nominative case (e.g., trzy egzemplarze książki). In everyday language, egzemplarze and egzemplarzy help distinguish between a single copy and multiple copies within a collection or sale.

See also: Kopia, egzemplarz, kopie.