copious

American  

[koh-pee-uhs] / ˈkoʊ pi əs /

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

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copious British  

/ ˈkəʊpɪəs /

adjective

1. abundant; extensive in quantity

2. having or providing an abundant supply

3. full of words, ideas, etc; profuse

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Related Words

See ample.

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of copious

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

Explanation

If you have a copious amount of something, you have a lot of it. If you take copious notes, you'll do well when it comes time for review sessions — unless you can't read your own handwriting. Copious comes from the Latin copia, meaning "abundance." You can use copious for something quantitative, like your copious admirers, or for something qualitative, like the copious gratitude you feel for your admirers. You will often see the word amounts following copious since the adjective is often used to modify a measurement of something — like copious amounts of coffee or copious amounts of hair gel.

Example Sentences

The state’s Department of Natural Resources has undertaken a marketing push to rebrand the fish as Copi, short for copious, to distinguish them from the bottom-feeding common carp and make them sound more appetizing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

India lacks such large inventories, but as prices climb, it may opt to buy the copious volumes of sanctioned crude oil currently in floating storage, mainly in East Asia.

From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026

While Simard has copious data to show how damaging clearcutting can be, she’s often at her best when describing small creatures and quiet moments.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

With copious amounts of food available and an Ashes series to prepare for, the players had to keep fit.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

On the way here, in my copious free time, I designed a "workshop."

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• ample
• extensive