good artists copy, great artists steal
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
It is better to selectively incorporate elements of other people's work rather than copying them wholesale.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Tốt nhất nên chọn lọc và kết hợp các yếu tố từ công việc của người khác
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “good artists copy, great artists steal” mean?
It is better to selectively incorporate elements of other people's work rather than copying them wholesale.
Is “good artists copy, great artists steal” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.