Origin of the word “CopyCat”

Probably everybody has heard the term “copycat” in today’s world. While growing up many have heard the term on the playground with other children calling each other copycat for one reason or another. You have likely heard the term used in reference to somebody who has plagiarized or imitated another person’s behavior, writing, music or other types of works.

However, have you ever wondered where the term comes from? What exactly are the origins of the word? You may be surprised to learn the deep roots and the historical development of the term “copycat.”

Dictionary definition of “copycat”

First, it may be a good idea to take a look at the dictionary definition of the word. Although dictionary definitions only provide a basic functional usage of the word, it is a great starting point before diving deeper into the term’s history and various contextual uses. Here are some of the definitions from various dictionaries:

• Merriam-Webster: One who adopts or imitates practices or behaviors of others; an imitative product or act
• Britannica: An individual who does an action that is the same as another individual or adopts style, behvaiors, etc. of another individual; something highly similar to another thing
• Oxford English: A derogatory term for a person or thing that copies or imitates another person or thing or another’s work; to imitate slavishly
• Cambridge: Someone or something that is influenced by someone or something else or does the exact same thing as someone or something else; something that is designed intentionally to be highly similar to something else
• Online Etymology Dictionary: A term used in a derogatory manner to refer to someone who copies or imitates another or another’s work

Although definitions of words are actually quite fluid and ever-changing to a certain degree, especially over several generations, it is a good idea for this discussion to grasp a basic definition of the word that reflects the common usage of today. Now that you have a basic idea of the contemporary working definition of “copycat” you will be ready to take a look at the history of the utilization of the word.

First usage of “copycat”

The first recorded usage of the word “copycat” was by Maine-based author Constance Cary Harrison in 1887 in her novel Bar Harbor Days. The passage containing the term reads, “Our boys say you are a copy cat, if you write in anything that’s been already printed.” The novel is thought to be a sort of quasi-memoir and is based in Bar Harbor which at the time was a popular resort town. The story revolves around two women who have very different backgrounds and end up sparking a friendship during their time in Bar Harbor. One woman is a wealthy socialite while the other woman is a struggling artist.

A few years later in 1890 another writer based in Maine, Sarah Orne Jewett, used the term in her novel titled Betty Leicester: A Story for Girls. The story is about a young woman who ends up traveling to spend the summer with her extended family. In one passage a woman character says to the protagonist, “I wouldn’t be such a copycat,” referring to the protagonist’s plans to start a second girls club. Jewett wrote the novel specifically for young adult women because she felt there was a lack of those types of characters in literature at that time.

Then, in Jewett’s 1896 novel Country of Pointed Firs, she used the term “copycat” again. In the passage Jewett wrote,“In these days the young folk is all copy-cats, ‘fraid to death they won’t be all just alike.’” The novel tells the story of a young female writer who visits Dunnet Landing, a seacoast town in Maine.

Why cats?

Many people may be wondering why the term “copycat” refers to cats instead of some other animal. Cats are actually not known for imitative behaviors like other animals such as monkeys or parrots. However, cats have historically been thought of as mischievous and evil. Being called a cat was considered an insult since the medieval period.

One example of cats in the medieval age being referred to as having evil qualities is in a guidebook for women monastics in the 13th century. The guidebook for women monastics, titled Ancrene Riwle, was written by an anonymous author. A passage in the book warned female monks of becoming “cats of hell.”

Widely considered one of the greatest playwrights of the English language, William Shakespeare also utilized the term “cat” in a negative tone in one of his works. In his play “All’s Well That Ends Well” Shakespeare wrote, “A pox upon him for me, he’s more and more a cat.” The quote was spoken by a character named Count Bertram who was talking about how Captain Dumain, another character in the play, was becoming more untrustworthy.

Therefore, it seems from the historical etymology of the term, one who is called a “copycat” may not necessarily be somebody who simply imitates but is also a person who is an unsavory or even evil character who imitates others.

Term “copycat” linked to criminal activity

It is believed that the term “copycat” started to be used in connection with criminal activity in the 1960s. A copycat, in this context, is generally somebody who imitates a certain notorious type of crime of another. In an article titled “Case of the Copycat Criminal,” David Dressler explains that “when crime comes in waves, simple imitation plays a large part in the phenomenon.” George Stobbs, in another article published in the Daily Telegraph labeled the killing of a homosexual man a “copycat murder.” Another homosexual man had been murdered in a similar manner a year before.

The term began to be used in this context more significantly until the early 1980s. In 1982 somebody or a group of individuals replaced Tylenol powder with cyanide, killing seven people. This deadly action was followed by others who added poisonous substances to food and pharmaceutical products. Law enforcement began referring to these subsequent incidences as copycats of the “Tylenol murders.”

Copycat crimes continued to be a phenomenon up until recent times. In 2021, 19-year-old body-builder George Knights in the UK was found guilty of murdering 38-year-old Stephen Chapman and then dumping the victim’s lifeless body into a wheeled trash can full of acid. Apparently, the murderer was inspired by a similar crime he saw depicted in the award-winning show “Breaking Bad.” The conviction for this copycat crime was handed down in Maidstown Crown Court.

Copycat brands and products

Of course, contemporary usage of the term “copycat” does not only refer to criminal activities, but is also used in the business and marketing realm. In these cases, many times people are referring to what are known as copycat brands or products. These are products which have been developed to purposely imitate and copy a more established and popular brand.

Although some copycat brands are legal many are not legal and are actually considered counterfeit goods. In fact, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency reports that counterfeit goods account for 2.3% of global trade. During the 2023 fiscal year the agency reports that it seized almost 23 million counterfeit goods. That accounted for $2 billion worth of goods.

Copycat technology

One major example of what many may arguably call a copycat brand is Apple. Although widely considered an icon of innovation, Apple is also known for copying Xerox’s graphical user interface (GUI). Apple also did not invent the digital music player, tablet computer or cellular phone. However, the company came to dominate these markets as a result of how it operated and executed the production and marketing.

Another example of a copycat brand is Flipkart which was started by two former employees of Amazon. The two Flipkart founders aimed to create an online marketplace similar to Amazon, except specifically geared towards a consumer market in India. It turns out that Flipkart was actually more successful than Amazon in several notable aspects due to a deeper understanding of Indian consumer behavior.

Copycat fashion

Not only are copycat products and brands prevalent in the technology space this phenomenon is present in the fashion industry as well. Many apparel companies have adopted what is known as the fast-fashion strategy which is a version of copycat brands and products. One such company, Zara, has achieved great success by purposely imitating larger more expensive fashion brands. Zara’s business model is explicitly not to create something original and bring it to market first. Instead its copycat strategy entails manufacturing cheaper versions of high-end fashion shortly after the original is released to the public.

One of the most famous of targets for copycat fashion product design is French fashion design firm Louis Vuitton. Numerous small-time fashion designers and apparel manufacturers copy Louis Vuitton designs with the aim of cashing in on some of the French fashion company’s fame and reputation. However, Louis Vuitton has also been actively pursuing legal actions in attempting to stop copycat fashion dealers from stealing the company’s intellectual property.

One of the most commonly copied Louis Vuitton items are their high-end handbags which turns out to be part of a huge worldwide industry of manufacturing and selling imitation handbags of all types of expensive fashion brands. Along with Louis Vuitton, other high-end brands which have been extensively imitated by copycat brands and manufacturers include Prada, Hermes and Chanel.

Copycat food

The food industry is also a breeding ground for copycat products and brands. This was certainly the case with Oreo cookie which just about everybody has some experience with growing up. A long-time favorite sweet treat of children is actually an example of a copycat food product. The template for the Oreo cookie was a cookie called the Hydrox which was created by Sunshine Bisquits in 1908. The Oreo cookie and the Hydrox competed with each other over the share of the market for consumers who wanted to purchase crunchy chocolate pastry products with sweet cream in the center. Although the competition between the two brands was once fierce for decades, now just about everybody knows of the Oreo cookie but most have never heard of the Hydrox.

Copycat: A term with a deep history and extensive uses

It is now clear that the term “copycat” has roots quite far back in linguistic history. Not only is it simply a term that means a person or entity that imitates another, but it is one who does so with somewhat malicious intent. This connotation stems from historical perceptions of the qualities of cats as being sneaky, illusive and sometimes even evil.

The term has steeped so deeply into the English-speaking world’s lexicon that it is commonly used in various business-related contexts as well. This can include copycat brands of all types, imitation food products and counterfeit fashion manufacturers.

It will be interesting to see in the far future how the term’s usage will continue to evolve.