CARBON COPY Definition & Meaning

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carbon copy

noun

1. a duplicate of anything written or typed, made by using a photocopier or, formerly, by using carbon paper. : cc
2. a copy of an email or other electronic document that is sent to one or more people in addition to the primary addressee. : cc
a near or exact duplicate of a given person or thing; replica:
She's a carbon copy of her mother.

carbon copy

noun

a duplicate copy of writing, typewriting, or drawing obtained by using carbon paper Often shortened tocarbon
informal.
a person or thing that is identical or very similar to another

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of carbon copy¹

First recorded in 1890–95

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Idioms and Phrases

A person or thing that closely resembles another, as in Our grandson is a carbon copy of his dad . Originally this term meant a copy of a document made by using carbon paper. The linguistic transfer to other kinds of duplicate survived the demise of carbon paper (replaced by photocopiers, computer printers, and other more sophisticated devices). [c. 1870]

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Rhyse Martin's excellent kick from the touchline gave the hosts the lead they craved, and after Burgess' third try of the night, a carbon copy of his second, it looked like the win was secure.

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“This reads as almost a carbon copy of that order,” Nelson said.

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Running a carbon copy of a guy who couldn't beat Trump in a primary seems, on paper, to be a uniquely stupid campaign strategy.

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Kids in her grade are “obsessed with TikTok” and posting videos of themselves that look to her like carbon copies.

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Scotland in contrast were clinical when their opportunity arose from line-out ball, and it was a carbon copy of the first try.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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