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Glite Dictionary
soft copy

soft copy

1 3.2
An electronic file of a document you view on a computer
  • noun
  • /sɔft ˈkɑpi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : copia digital
  • THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR THIS SOFT COPY.

Examples

  • I would dearly love to get a soft copy of your book.

    Blog text (24)

  • Please send me a soft copy of the report so I can review it on my laptop.

  • This has been changed to preformatted text for this soft copy.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Notes from each of the breakout sessions will be compiled, and soft copies will be available to all participants.

    Blog text (31)

  • After the meeting, the organizer emailed a soft copy of the presentation to everyone.

  • Students are required to submit a soft copy of their assignments through the online portal.

Antonyms

hard copy
20 3.1

A paper copy printed or typed from a computer

How Modern

soft copy
  • Specialized
1 3.2
to photocopy
15 2.3
mimeo
  • Archaic
1 9.9
carbon copy
  • Archaic
4 3.0

Surface Forms

soft copy singular
soft copies plural

Morphology

soft + copy

The parts 'soft' (not hard) and 'copy' (a duplicate) give a partial clue: a 'soft copy' can be inferred as a non-physical or non-printed duplicate, i.e. an electronic version. However this is a metaphorical/technical use of 'soft' and relies on domain knowledge (or contrast with 'hard copy'), so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents may not reliably predict the precise sense.

Etymology

The name soft copy comes from the idea of a soft copy that is not a hard sheet of paper. It lives on a computer screen and can be changed easily, so 'soft copy' means the 'electronic' version of a document rather than a printed 'copy'.