Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “copypasta” come from?

copypasta (English) comes from English copy-paste, from English copy, from Middle English copy, from Old French copie, from Medieval Latin copia, from Latin cōpia, from Latin coopia, from Latin co- — resin, gum; to say, speak.

copypasta (English): A block of text which has been copied and pasted...

Definitions

  1. A block of text which has been copied and pasted...

Ancestry of “copypasta”, step by step

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