What does copyrighted mean?
Copyrighted describes any original creative work — a book, song, photograph, film, or piece of software — that is legally protected by copyright. This protection gives the owner exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, perform, display, or adapt the work, meaning others generally need permission before copying or reusing it. The term is ubiquitous in publishing, media, education, and law: websites label their content as copyrighted, libraries check whether a work is copyrighted before digitizing it, and courts weigh claims involving copyrighted material in infringement disputes. Its connotations are formal and legal rather than emotional; it signals ownership and restriction, standing in contrast to works in the public domain, which anyone may freely use. Because copyright arises automatically when an eligible work is created in most countries, describing something as copyrighted usually just states its default legal status — yet that simple status underpins entire industries and shapes how culture is shared, licensed, and monetized worldwide.
Protected by copyright; subject to the legal rights held by a copyright owner over the reproduction and distribution of a creative work.
"The textbook contained dozens of copyrighted illustrations that could not be photocopied."
Often used attributively ("copyrighted material") or predicatively ("the film is copyrighted").
Past tense and past participle of the verb "copyright": to have secured a copyright on a work.
"The author copyrighted her novel as soon as the manuscript was finished."
As a verb, "copyright" is transitive: one copyrights a specific work.
Every book, photo, and song you've ever loved is automatically copyrighted the instant it's created — no registration required in most countries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of copyrighted
The word combines "copy," from Latin "copiare" via Old French "coper/copie" (ultimately from Latin "copia," abundance), with "right," from Old English "riht." "Copyright" itself emerged in English in the early eighteenth century, notably through the Statute of Anne of 1710, which established statutory copyright in Britain. The participle/adjective form "copyrighted" developed naturally from the verb "to copyright" once such protection became routine for published works.
Related word forms
How copyrighted is actually used
"Copyrighted" functions primarily as the past participle and adjectival form of "copyright." In formal legal writing it typically appears before a noun ("copyrighted material"); in everyday speech it often follows a linking verb ("the song is copyrighted"). Works whose copyright has expired are said to be in the public domain rather than "uncopyrighted."
Easily confused with copyrighted
A trademark protects brand names, logos, and identifiers of source, whereas a copyright protects original creative works such as text, music, and art.
Copyleft licenses grant everyone freedom to reuse and modify a work provided derivatives carry the same terms, the opposite spirit of traditional copyright.