copious

[koh-pee-uhs]

adjective

1. large in quantity or number; abundant; plentiful.

   copious amounts of food.

   Synonyms: bountiful
   Antonyms: scarce, scanty

2. having or yielding an abundant supply.

   a copious larder;

   a copious harvest.

3. exhibiting abundance or fullness, as of thoughts or words.

   Antonyms: meager

copious

/ ˈkəʊpɪəs /

adjective

1. abundant; extensive in quantity

2. having or providing an abundant supply

3. full of words, ideas, etc; profuse

Other Word Forms

• copiousness noun
• copiously adverb
• copiosity noun
• overcopious adjective
• overcopiously adverb
• overcopiousness noun
• uncopious adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of copious¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin cōpiōsus “plentiful, rich,” from cōpi(a) “wealth” (from co- co- + op(s) “plenty, power, support” + -ia -ia ) + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of copious¹

C14: from Latin cōpiōsus well supplied, from cōpia abundance, from ops wealth

Synonym Study

See ample.

Example Sentences

This particular massage, with its copious use of oil, is less about targeting muscle groups than gliding through the inner workings of the body, without friction.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The big question remains whether this is an L.A. thing or whether that enabling, which requires copious amounts of good will, is exportable.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Hutchinson, who lives in in Wichita, Kan., did copious amounts of research, asking questions of family members, friends, strangers, free consultants, a paid consultant and artificial intelligence.

Read more on MarketWatch

A better solution would have been to include the copious justifications that John Lennon and Yoko Ono offered at the time, noting as well that their radical friends understood their intentions.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“To talk about that whirlpool, the uzumaki, there is in the original manga series, a scene where there’s copious amounts of water,” said Sato.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• ample 
• extensive