What does "duplication" mean?
The act of duplicating.
Duplication
/d(j)u.plɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of duplicating.
- Grammar: duplication is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: duplicate, ambiguity, ambivalence, amplification.
- Useful contrasts: bisection, conciseness, deletion.
- Usage evidence: Edison invented a device for duplication.
How to use "duplication"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "duplication" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "duplication" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "duplication" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "duplication" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "duplication" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "duplicate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "duplication", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of duplicating. countable, uncountable
"Another argument for closing Woodhead was simply one of route duplication, and this was the main reason put forward by BR at the time."
- 2 the act of copying or making a duplicate (or duplicates) of something wordnet
- 3 A duplicate. countable, uncountable
"Counting crimes as given in the index to the Penal Code, their number is nearly twice as great as that stated, but as some are only duplications I have reduced my estimate that it may be well within the limits of the fact."
- 4 a copy that corresponds to an original exactly wordnet
- 5 A folding over; a fold. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 The act or process of dividing by natural growth or spontaneous action. countable, uncountable
"duplication of cartilage cells"
- 7 The act of copying a nucleotide sequence from one chromosome to another. countable, uncountable
- 8 A nucleotide sequence copied through such a process. countable, uncountable
Example
"Edison invented a device for duplication."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "duplication"?
Common synonyms include: duplicate, ambiguity, ambivalence, amplification, bedizenment, biformity.
How do you use "duplication" in a sentence?
Edison invented a device for duplication.
How do you pronounce "duplication"?
Pronounced /d(j)u.plɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English duplicacioun, from Middle French duplication, from Late Latin duplicātiō, duplicātiōnem, from Latin duplicō. Morphologically duplicate + -ion.