Miscopy

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /mɪsˈkɒpi/

Definitions

1. An incorrect or mistaken character or word produced by accidentally typing or copying wrongly
2. A fault in text caused by inaccurately reproducing letters or words when writing or printing
3. An error resulting from wrongly copying or typing text, causing characters or words to be incorrect

Etymology: "Miscopy" is a plain formation: the prefix "mis-", meaning wrongly or badly, attached to "copy". The prefix comes from Old English and has long been productive in English, so the word needed no special coinage. It means to copy something wrongly, and in practice it is a verb that describes errors made while transcribing or reproducing text or other material. The base word "copy" traces back to Latin "copia", meaning abundance or plenty, which is also the source of "copious". Its sense narrowed over centuries until it came to mean a reproduction of something. Adding "mis-" to that reproductive sense gives "miscopy" its meaning: an error in reproducing rather than a fault in the original.