copperplate
UK[ˈkɒpəpleɪt]US[ˈkɑːpərpleɪt]
n
a polished copper plate with a design engraved or etched into it, used for printing.
n
a style of formal handwriting characterized by flowing, cursive strokes and slanted letters, traditionally used in engraving and calligraphy.
Morpheme Breakdown
copper
plate
copper
plate
Etymology
the word 'copperplate' is a transparent compound formed from the english words 'copper' and 'plate'. its primary historical meaning refers literally to a flat sheet of copper that has been engraved for use in intaglio printing, a technique that flourished from the renaissance onward. the term was later applied metonymically to the elegant, flowing style of handwriting that was often reproduced from such engraved plates in copybooks. this semantic shift illustrates how the name of the physical medium came to denote the distinctive aesthetic quality of the script it was used to reproduce.
Analysis
Structure: copper + plate
copper (old english, from latin 'cuprum', denoting the metal) + plate (middle english, from old french 'plate', a flat sheet of metal)
Examples
the certificate was inscribed in beautiful copperplate.
early maps were often printed from intricately engraved copperplates.
she took lessons to master the art of copperplate calligraphy.