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Identical vs Copy - What's the difference?

identical | copy |

As nouns the difference between identical and copy

is that identical is something which has exactly the same properties as something else while copy is the result of copying; an identical duplicate of an original.

As an adjective identical

is bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.

As a verb copy is

to produce an object identical to a given object.

identical

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (not comparable) Bearing full likeness by having precisely the same set of characteristics; indistinguishable.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1911, title=Encyclopædia Britannica, chapter=
  • , passage=By this means as many absolutely identical plates can be produced as may be required, and being hardened they will yield a very large number of prints without any appreciable deterioration.}}
  • *
  • *
  • (not comparable) Not different or other; not another or others; not different as regards self; selfsame; numerically identical.
  • *
  • *
  • * {{quote-book, year=1922, title=, by=W. C. Firebaugh, author=Petronius,
  • passage=Nor could I myself look upon this man without some emotion, for he seemed to be the identical  person who had picked up the ragged tunic in the lonely wood, and, as a matter of fact, he was!}}
  • (not comparable, biology) Of twins, sharing the same genetic code.
  • (not comparable, mathematics) Exactly equivalent.
  • (comparable, rare) Approximating or approaching exact equivalence.
  • * 1788 , , XLI:
  • The terms of Article 8th are still more identical .
    *

    Usage notes

    * (en-usage-equal) * Adverbs often used with "identical": absolutely, almost, nearly, practically, virtually, substantially.

    Synonyms

    * (bearing full likeness) same * (selfsame) same, selfsame

    Antonyms

    * non-identical * different * distinct

    Derived terms

    * identically * identicalness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (usually, pluralized, chiefly, philosophy) Something which has exactly the same properties as something else.
  • Derived terms

    * indiscernibility of identicals

    References

    * * *

    copy

    English

    Noun

    (copies)
  • The result of copying; an identical duplicate of an original.
  • Please bring me the copies of those reports.
  • * Denham
  • I have not the vanity to think my copy equal to the original.
  • An imitation, sometimes of inferior quality.
  • That handbag is a copy . You can tell because the buckle is different.
  • (journalism) The text that is to be typeset.
  • (journalism) A gender-neutral abbreviation for copy boy
  • (marketing) The output of copywriters, who are employed to write material which encourages consumers to buy goods or services.
  • (uncountable) The text of newspaper articles.
  • Submit all copy to the appropriate editor.
  • A school work pad.
  • Tim got in trouble for forgetting his maths copy .
  • A printed edition of a book or magazine.
  • Have you seen the latest copy of "Newsweek" yet?
    The library has several copies of the Bible.
  • Writing paper of a particular size, called also bastard.
  • (obsolete) That which is to be imitated, transcribed, or reproduced; a pattern, model, or example.
  • His virtues are an excellent copy for imitation.
  • * Holder
  • Let him first learn to write, after a copy , all the letters.
  • (obsolete) An abundance or plenty of anything.
  • * Ben Jonson
  • She was blessed with no more copy of wit, but to serve his humour thus.
  • (obsolete) copyhold; tenure; lease
  • (Shakespeare)
  • (genetics) The result of gene or chromosomal duplication.
  • Synonyms

    * carbon copy * duplicate * facsimile * image * likeness * reduplication * replica * replication * reproduction * simulacrum * fake * forgery * phony * sham

    Antonyms

    * original

    Derived terms

    * advance copy * backup copy * deep copy * carbon copy * certified copy * clean copy * conformed copy * copy area * copy book * copy boy * copy cat/copycat * copy constructor * copy desk * copydom * copy editor * copy holder * copy key * copy menu * copy number * copy protection * copy room * copy ruler * copy shop * copy test * copy typist * copywriter * courtesy copy * duplicate copy * fair copy * hard copy * image copy * master copy * office copy * photocopy * presentation copy * promotional copy * reading copy * review copy * scaled copy * shallow copy * soft copy * top copy * xerox copy

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (label) To produce an object identical to a given object.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2014-06-21, volume=411, issue=8892, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Magician’s brain , passage=[Isaac Newton] was obsessed with alchemy. He spent hours copying alchemical recipes and trying to replicate them in his laboratory. He believed that the Bible contained numerological codes. The truth is that Newton was very much a product of his time.}}
  • To place a copy of an object in memory for later use.
  • (label) To imitate.
  • * (Dugald Stewart) (1753–1828)
  • We copy instinctively the voices of our companions, their accents, and their modes of pronunciation.
  • To receive a transmission successfully.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * copyable * copy and paste * copy down * copy-edit * copy out * deep-copy

    Statistics

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