Coptic

1 of 2

noun

Cop·​tic ˈkäp-tik How to pronounce Coptic (audio)
: an Afro-Asiatic language descended from ancient Egyptian and used as the liturgical language of the Coptic church

Coptic

2 of 2

adjective

: of or relating to the Copts, their liturgical language, or their church

Examples of Coptic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Less than two months later, the S.S. Coptic arrived into San Francisco Bay, carrying a hundred and eight Chinese and fifteen Japanese passengers in steerage. Michael Luo, New Yorker, 20 May 2025 After decades studying the Bible, reading chapters in their original languages such as Hebrew and Coptic, Dr. Pagels has many questions. Sophie Hills, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Mar. 2025 King explains that for much of Christian history menstruating women were not allowed into religious spaces; at some modern-day Coptic Orthodox churches, they are still forbidden from taking communion. S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025 Day two might include a visit to see the truly exceptional exhibit of Royal Mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, and visits to Islamic and Coptic Cairo, as well as Ben Ezra Synagogue and The Citadel. Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 The Coptic are one of the original Christian Orthodox churches. Lauren Green, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025 Fortunately a cousin who was a priest in the Coptic Orthodox Church supported his dream — spiritually, emotionally and financially — and Mr. Khalil was able to go to a fine arts university in Minya, about 160 miles south of Cairo. Dodai Stewart, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025 Some Eastern Orthodox churches, such as Egyptian Coptic and Ethiopian Christians, incorporated cross tattoos into baptism. Gustavo Morello, The Conversation, 10 July 2024 Anyone seeking evidence of creeping Islamist radicalization in Egypt under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s repressive regime need look no further than the bombing of the Coptic Orthodox church in Cairo on December 10. Khalil Al-Anani, Foreign Affairs, 8 Jan. 2017
Adjective
The word is thought to have its roots in the Egyptian Coptic word kenefiten, which translates to cake. Claire Turrell, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025 One of the men was from Ghana and chose to stay with the Coptic men and face the same fate. Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2025 Helmy, the only Arab-American and first Coptic Christian in the Senate, was appointed over the summer when Bob Menendez resigned following his conviction on federal corruption charges. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 3 Dec. 2024 Just one week before the election, Trump directed a post on the social-media platform X to Coptic Christians in the United States —- whose church has ancient roots in Egypt. Peter Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Nov. 2024 But examples of similar texts exist in Latin, Hebrew, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian and Georgian. Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Oct. 2024 An example last year involved Coptic schoolchildren who taped a 30-second cell phone video of themselves mocking ISIS. Nina Shea, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2017 The group has as many as 3,000 active members, and its fighters have beheaded Ethiopian Coptic workers and attacked the Moroccan and South Korean embassies. Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2016 Approximately three-quarters of Christians in the region are Arab and tend to belong to ancient, apostolic denominations such as the Greek Orthodox, Coptic and Catholic churches. Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 27 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1668, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1677, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Coptic was in 1668

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Cite this Entry

“Coptic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Coptic. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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