1590s, "one who writes or transcribes from an original or form," agent noun from copy (v.). By 1889 as "device for making copies of documents."
Entries linking to copier
copy v.
late 14c., "make a copy of, duplicate" (a text or document), from Old French copier (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin copiare "to transcribe," originally "to write in plenty," from Latin copia "plenty" (see copy (n.)). Hence, "to write an original text many times."
Figurative sense of "to imitate, to follow as an example" is attested from 1640s. Of computer data, by 1953. Meaning "send a copy (of a letter, later e-mail, etc.) to a third party" is attested by 1983. Related: Copied; copying.