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duplicate

UK[ˈdjuːplɪkeɪt]US[ˈduːplɪkeɪt]
v

to make an exact copy of something

adj

exactly like something else, or having two identical parts

n

something that is exactly the same as something else

Morpheme Breakdown

du
plic
ate
du

two

plic

fold

ate

verb/adjective suffix

Etymology

the word 'duplicate' originates from the latin verb 'duplicare', meaning 'to double'. this verb itself is built from 'duplex', which combines 'duo' (two) and 'plicare' (to fold), literally conveying the idea of 'twofold'. the core logic of folding to create two layers evolved into the more abstract concept of making an identical second version. entering english in the late middle english period via medieval latin, it retained this sense of exact replication, whether as a verb, adjective, or noun.

Analysis

Structure: du (two) + plic (fold) + ate (verb/adjective suffix) du (from latin 'duo', meaning 'two'), plic (from latin 'plicare', meaning 'to fold'), ate (a latin-derived suffix used to form verbs and adjectives)

Examples

please duplicate the report for all board members.

he was caught using a duplicate key to enter the building.

the experiment was run in duplicate to verify the results.

duplicate – Meaning, Etymology & Word Origin | OpenEtymology