Apograph

/ˈæpəɡrɑːf/ noun

Definition

A copy of a text or document made by someone other than the original author.

Etymology

From Greek apo- (from, away) + -graph (something written). The term emerged in scholarly and manuscript studies to distinguish copies from original works.

Kelly Says

Before printing presses, everything had to be hand-copied, and historians use this word to track how a single original text spawned dozens of 'apographs'—each introducing tiny changes like a game of telephone in writing.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.