What does copycatted mean?
"Copycatted" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "copycat," meaning to have deliberately imitated another person's behaviour, style, design, or creative work. The word derives from the noun "copycat," a colloquial term dating from the late nineteenth century that describes someone who mimics others, especially children who repeat what their peers say or do. When something is described as having been copycatted, there is nearly always a note of disapproval: the word implies not just imitation but derivative, unoriginal imitation — the borrowing of ideas without adding anything new. It appears frequently in reviews, business commentary, and casual conversation, as in claims that one product copycatted another's design. Closely related is "copycat crime," where a later offence deliberately reproduces an earlier one. Informal yet widely understood across British and American English, the word remains a sharp, economical way to accuse someone of trading in second-hand ideas.
verb (past tense and past participle of copycat)Imitated or copied the behaviour, work, or style of another person, often in a derivative or unoriginal way.
- To have imitated another person's behaviour, style, or work, typically implying a lack of originality.
"The rival company was accused of having copycatted the original design almost feature for feature."
"Critics claimed the sequel merely copycatted the plot of the original film."
"As children, my younger sister copycatted everything I did, right down to my handwriting."
The word "copycat" may trace back to an 1896 novel — but as a term for a childish mimic, it's been needling imitators ever since.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of copycatted
"Copycatted" comes from the verb formed on "copycat," a compound of "copy" (from Latin "copia," meaning abundance, via Old French "copeie") and "cat." The noun "copycat" first appeared in print in the late nineteenth century, notably in an 1896 story by Sarah Orne Jewett, as a child's term for a person who imitates others. From this noun English derived both a verb and adjective, so "copycatted" simply applies regular verb inflection to the compound.
Related word forms
How copycatted is actually used
"Copycatted" is informal to neutral in register and usually carries a mildly disapproving connotation, suggesting unoriginality or lack of creativity. It is common in journalism, criticism, and everyday speech. Some writers prefer the alternative form "copycatted" over the rarer variant "copy-catted."
Easily confused with copycatted
"Copycat" is the noun or base verb meaning an imitator, while "copycatted" is its past tense, describing an act of imitation that has already happened.