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Glite Dictionary
copy editor

copy editor

8 3.4
A person who checks and corrects grammar, spelling, and style in written text before it is published
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑpi ˈɛdɪtər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : editor de textos
  • After years of experience, she became a well-respected copy editor in the industry.

I had a copy editor say you must mean beta must be beta.

Examples

  • After liberation, she takes a series of demoralizing jobs, eventually working as a copy editor in an advertising agency in Harare.

    Academic text (2008)

  • My book is expected to go to the copy editor in a few weeks.

    Blog text (31)

  • So I applied for the job, and I became one of the copy editors for it.

    Blog text (12)

  • When the summer came to a close, I got hired as a copy editor at the Minnesota Daily.

    Blog text (23)

  • Previously, Tom spent almost five years as a copy editor for CNN's broadband news service.

    Blog text (27)

  • Many publishers no longer use fact-checkers, only copy editors, so it is often left to the writer to verify facts.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Alexia Kartis has served as both copy editor and designer.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The hiring is indeed for full-time people: copy editors, night editors, major-sports beat people.

    Blog text (2)

  • Michelle is a skilled copy editor who ensures the articles are free of grammatical mistakes.

  • At the publishing house, the copy editor reviews each manuscript for clarity and coherence.

Synonyms

proofreader
vscopy editor
3 3.8

A person who reads text to find and fix spelling and grammar errors

carries out broader editing beyond surface errors and layout
rewriter
vscopy editor
1 4.0

A person who edits text to make it clear and ready to be published

focuses more on fixing errors than on changing content
rewrite man
vscopy editor
  • Archaic
1 7.7

A person who edits reporters' notes into clear news stories for newspapers

works more broadly across publications correcting errors and style
copyreader
vscopy editor
6.8

A person who checks and corrects writing before it is published

is the same role but often called by another workplace title
subeditor
vscopy editor
  • Jargon
6.5

A person who checks and corrects articles before they are published

performs the main responsibility for correcting errors and style
reviser
vscopy editor
5.5

A person who checks and corrects text before publishing

focuses more on correcting grammar style and factual accuracy
redactor
vscopy editor
  • Formal
8.6

A person who edits and prepares text for publication, shaping its form

focuses on correcting language errors rather than restructuring content

How Experienced

editor in chief
  • Literature
49 4.4
copy editor
  • Specialized
8 3.4
proofreader
3 3.8

Surface Forms

copy editor singular
copy editors plural

Morphology

copy + editor

The meaning of 'copy editor' is compositionally derivable from 'copy' (written material) + 'editor' (a person who edits): a person who edits written material. This noun-noun compound follows a common and cross-linguistically familiar pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will very likely infer the correct meaning.

Etymology

The noun copy editor comes from old printing work: copy was the written text to be printed and an editor marked corrections. So a copy editor is the person who checks and 'corrects mistakes' in writing before it is published.