Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “copycat” come from?

I cannot write this sentence as requested because the etymology chain provided contains only English words at every step, with no actual language progression or origin information. A valid etymology requires at least one ancestral language before English. Additionally, the repeating pattern of "English category | English fish" doesn't establish a meaningful etymological path, and the known meaning is listed as "unknown," making it impossible to weave in sense development. Please provide a complete etymology chain with actual source languages and documented meaning.

copycat (English): One who imitates or plagiarizes others' work; A...

Definitions

  1. One who imitates or plagiarizes others' work; A...

Ancestry of “copycat”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcopyThe result of copying; an identical duplicate of...
2Middle Englishcopy—
3Old Frenchcopieabundance, plenty; transcript, copy
4Medieval Latincopiareproduction, transcript; copy; supply
5Latincōpia—
6Latincoopia—
7Latinco-allomorph of con-
8Latincōn-—
9Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
10Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
11Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
13Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
14Middle Englishkyt—
15Germankitt—
16Old High Germankuti—
17Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
18Proto-Germanickweduzresin
19Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
20Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “copycat”

  • copycatter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →