Copyread

/ˈkɒpiˌrɛd/ verb

Definition

To read and edit text for grammar, clarity, accuracy, and style before it is published; to work as a copy editor.

Etymology

From copy (manuscript text) + read; emerged in late 19th-century American newspaper and publishing industry terminology.

Kelly Says

Copyreading is where details matter intensely—a copyreader catches not just typos but factual errors, inconsistent styling, and unclear sentences that could confuse thousands of readers, making it one of journalism's most essential but least celebrated skills.

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