What does copier mean?
A copier is most commonly understood as a machine that produces duplicate images of documents on paper, typically through xerographic (electrostatic) technology. In offices, schools, and libraries, the copier became an indispensable fixture after the introduction of commercial photocopiers in the mid-twentieth century, transforming how paperwork was distributed and shared. The word can also refer, far less frequently, to a person who copies — someone who reproduces another artist's style, imitates another person's mannerisms, or passes off borrowed work as their own — a sense that carries a faintly negative connotation of unoriginality. In modern speech, when people say 'the copier is broken,' they mean the office photocopying machine rather than any individual. The term remains standard vocabulary in workplace contexts worldwide, though it increasingly coexists with multifunction printers that copy, scan, and print in one device.
A machine, especially a photocopier, that makes copies of documents.
"The new copier can print, scan, and staple automatically."
Almost always refers to a photocopying machine in contemporary usage.
A person who copies another's work, style, or behavior.
"He accused his rival of being nothing but a copier of established painters."
Less common than the machine sense and often carries a mildly negative connotation.
Standard plural for both the machine and the person senses.
"The school replaced all three of its aging copiers over the summer."
Before the copier, duplicating a document meant rewriting it by hand — the photocopier's invention turned hours of clerical labor into the press of a single button.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of copier
'Copier' is formed from the verb 'copy' with the agentive suffix '-er', denoting something or someone that copies. 'Copy' entered English in the Middle Ages from the Old French 'copie', derived from Latin 'copiare', itself rooted in 'copia', meaning abundance or supply — a root it shares with words like 'copious' and 'cornucopia'. The machine sense arose naturally once copying devices were invented, extending the older notion of one who makes copies to the apparatus that does so.
How copier is actually used
In everyday use, 'copier' almost always refers to a photocopying machine and is largely interchangeable with 'photocopier' and 'copy machine'. The figurative sense referring to a person is much less common and can sound mildly derogatory, implying unoriginality.
Easily confused with copier
A copier duplicates documents or imitates others, whereas a copilot is an assistant pilot in an aircraft.