copyright

noun

1. (uncountable, usually)The right by law to be the entity which determines who may publish, copy and distribute a piece of writing, music, picture or other work of authorship.

   “Copyright is a separate legal area from trademarks.”

   “One of the important points that would have to be examined in such a discussion would be how far the growth of this class has been artificially stimulated by the law of copyright.¹”

2. (countable, usually)Such an exclusive right as it pertains to one or more specific works.

   “The artist lost the copyrights to her songs when she signed the contract.”

   “The images are still copyright of the original artist.”

   “For me personally, the copyrights and "copywrongs," as I have called them, simply boil down to either one or two things, and that is it's either an act of distribution or it is an act of consumption.”

   “The 1994 law in question was designed to put the United States in compliance with global treaties on intellectual property– the Berne Convention and the so-called Uruguay Round. The federal legislation created copyrights to foreign works that had not previously been covered.”

3. (informal, nonstandard, uncountable, usually)A violation of copyright law; copyright infringement.

   “no copyright intended”

   “Anyone accused of copyright would have sixty days to opt-out of the Copyright Claims Board process, in which case the plaintiff would have to seek legal action in court.”

verb

1. (intransitive, transitive)To obtain or secure a copyright for some literary or other artistic work.

   “Every book will be copyrighted that the publisher believes will have such a market as will justify him in going to the expense of copyrighting to prevent competition from other publishers.”

   “Further, Mr. Mullins writes FOR YOU-THE-PEOPLE, copyrighting to protect listings and to make a statement—but willingly shares his work for, after all, if it is not read then of what worth is a book?”

   “The sealed contents inside postmarked by the United States Post office will be proof enough of exactly when your work was completed. The disadvantage to this form of copyrighting is that your work is not traceable for anyone who is interested in acquiring information regarding copyright ownership.”

   “J. J. Jameson: The Green Goblin. You like that? Made it up myself. These weirdos all gotta have a name now. Hoffman! Call the patent office, copyright the name "Green Goblin". I want a quarter every time somebody says it.”

   “When your script is completed you need to copyright it with the Library of Congress in Washington DC (you can get the forms from: Register of Copyrights, Library of Congress, Washington DC, 20559. Request form PA, or you can download them from www.loc.gov/copyright).”

2. (informal, nonstandard, transitive)To flag for copyright violation, to copystrike.

   “I won’t play this track, I don’t wanna get copyrighted.”