copious

adjective

co·​pi·​ous ˈkō-pē-əs How to pronounce copious (audio)
1
a
: yielding something abundantly
a copious harvest
copious springs
b
: plentiful in number
copious references to other writers
2
a
: full of thought, information, or matter
… Shakespeare, whose soul was so copiousGilbert Highet
b
: profuse or exuberant in words, expression, or style
a copious talker
3
: present in large quantity : taking place on a large scale
copious weeping
copious food and drink
copiously adverb
copiousness noun

Did you know?

What's the difference between copious, ample, and plentiful?

Copious dates to the 14th century, during the era of English known as Middle English. Like most terms entering the language then, it comes ultimately from Latin, from the word copia, meaning "abundance." (Cornucopia combines this same root with cornu, meaning "horn," to form the phrase "horn of plenty.") Latin copia combines the prefix co- and -op, * ops, meaning "wealth" or "power." (That asterisk means that ops is assumed to have existed or has been reconstructed by means of comparative evidence.) The latter also features in the history of opulent, meaning "wealthy" or "luxurious."

Choose the Right Synonym for copious

plentiful, ample, abundant, copious mean more than sufficient without being excessive.

plentiful implies a great or rich supply.

peaches are plentiful this summer

ample implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement.

ample food to last the winter

abundant suggests an even greater or richer supply than does plentiful.

streams abundant with fish

copious stresses largeness of supply rather than fullness or richness.

copious examples of bureaucratic waste

Examples of copious in a Sentence

It was no surprise that spin was more copious than ever during the election campaign. Michael Kinsley, Time, 25 Dec. 2000–1 Jan. 2001
These pockets of melted rock are rich in silica and release copious amounts of volatile gases that are held under high pressures. Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times, 7 Apr. 1998
… travelers grew accustomed to having copious helpings of meat when they visited Quimper's inn. James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
The Constants—ignorant, vulgar, and brash—had copious quantities of dumb luck. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., The Sirens Of Titan, 1959
The storm produced a copious amount of rain. She sat in the front row and took copious notes during the lecture.
Recent Examples on the Web The perfectly orchestrated fairy-tale grandeur (combined with copious media coverage) has fueled a longstanding fascination with the royals. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2024 By sharing their copious amounts of real-time sensor information with one another, Hajbabaie and colleagues believe these vehicles could hypothetically coordinate far beyond simple intersection changes to adjust variables like speed and break times. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 Mar. 2024 The full interview airs tomorrow, March 12, but in a preview clip, Applegate expressed gratitude for the copious support she’s received since being diagnosed with MS in 2021. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 Across the copious amounts of dialogue squeezed into a 90-minute run time, the audience races to examine everyone’s unique understanding of the matter. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Mar. 2024 Imagine that mucus—thick, copious, dark—had been accumulating since the moment you were born, thwarting air and trapping microbes to fester inside your lungs. Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024 Hunter said firefighters have to put copious amounts of water on a battery fire to extinguish it, which is a drain on city resources. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 1 Mar. 2024 After their son was born, the Williams submitted copious amounts of documentation providing evidence of their home birth with their application for JJ’s birth certificate. Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 29 Feb. 2024 The defense also has sought to show that the Eagles provided Sanders with copious insider material. CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'copious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin copiosus, from copia abundance, from co- + ops wealth — more at opulent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of copious was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near copious

Cite this Entry

“Copious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copious. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

copious

adjective
co·​pi·​ous ˈkō-pē-əs How to pronounce copious (audio)
: very plentiful
a copious amount of food
copiously adverb
copiousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on copious

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