COPYRIGHTABLE Meaning and
Definition
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Copyrightable is an adjective that refers to the ability or quality of being eligible for copyright protection. It describes something that meets the requirements for copyright, which is a form of legal protection given to the creators of original works. Copyrightable works are original expressions of ideas that are fixed in a tangible medium of expression, such as writing, music, art, films, software, etc.
To be copyrightable, a work must possess originality, meaning it must be a product of the author's creative effort and not merely a copied or unoriginal work. Additionally, the work must be in a tangible form, meaning it can be perceived, reproduced, or communicated in some physical or electronic form.
Typically, copyrightable works include literary works (books, articles, poems), artistic works (paintings, sculptures, photographs), musical works (songs, compositions), dramatic works (plays, dance performances), architectural works, and various forms of multimedia like movies and computer software. These works are considered copyrightable because they involve the expression of ideas and creativity, which are considered valuable and deserving of legal protection.
Copyrightable works grant their creators exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, publicly display, perform, and create derivative works based on their original creation. However, it is worth noting that copyright protection is not unlimited and subject to certain limitations and exceptions, such as fair use, which allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as education, commentary, and criticism.
Etymology of COPYRIGHTABLE
The word "copyrightable" is derived from the combination of two root words: "copyright" and "able".
The term "copyright" has its origins in the late 18th century, derived from the words "copy" and "right". The word "copy" comes from the Old French word "copie", meaning "reproduction" or "transcript", which was derived from the Latin word "copia", meaning "abundance" or "plentiful supply". The word "right" comes from the Old English word "riht", meaning "just" or "good".
The suffix "-able" is added to the word "copyright" to form "copyrightable". "-able" is derived from the Latin word-forming element "-abilis", which means "capable of" or "able to be".
