'copyist' originates from the word 'copy,' which comes from the Latin word 'copia,' meaning 'abundance' or 'plenty.'

'copy' evolved from the Old French word 'copie,' which was derived from the Latin 'copia.' The term 'copyist' was later formed to describe someone who makes copies.

Initially, it referred to someone who made copies of documents by hand, but now it can also refer to someone who duplicates any form of media.