Copperplate
//ˈkɑpərˌpleɪt// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A copper plate, either etched or engraved, to make a recessed pattern. countable, uncountable
- 2 an engraving consisting of a smooth plate of copper that has been etched or engraved wordnet
- 3 A print made from such a plate. countable, uncountable
- 4 a print made from an engraved copperplate wordnet
- 5 A style of handwriting based on that used on such prints; English round hand. countable, uncountable
"1999. Stardust, Neil Gaiman, page 36 (2001 Perennial paperback edition). The village school was a fine school […] He learned his reading and had a fair copperplate hand."
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- 6 a graceful style of handwriting based on the writing used on copperplate engravings wordnet
Verb
- 1 To engrave on and print from a copperplate.
Example
More examples"1999. Stardust, Neil Gaiman, page 36 (2001 Perennial paperback edition). The village school was a fine school […] He learned his reading and had a fair copperplate hand."
Etymology
From copper + plate. For the plate used for engraving: in the 1660s. As a term for the printed product: from 1817. Of the especially clear writing used in such prints: from the 1820s. Use as a verb (the past participle copperplated) is from 1822.
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.