If someone has copyright on a piece of writing or music, it is illegal to reproduce or perform it without their permission.
To order a book one first had to get permission from the monastery that held thecopyright.
She threatened legal action for breach of copyright.
copyright in British English
(ˈkɒpɪˌraɪt)
noun
1.
the exclusive right to produce copies and to control an original literary, musical, or artistic work, granted by law for a specified number of years (in Britain, usually 70 years from the death of the author, composer, etc, or from the date of publication if later)
Symbol: (c)
adjective
2.
(of a work, etc) subject to or controlled by copyright