copious

adjective co·pi·ous \ ˈkō-pē-əs \

Updated on: 1 Dec 2017

Definition of copious

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 copious …
—Gilbert 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

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copiously

adverb

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copiousness

noun

See copious defined for English-language learners

See copious defined for kids

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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 of copious from the Web

The media availability after that session should be a real treat, too — American prosecutors will no doubt be taking copious notes.

— heather hurlburt, Daily Intelligencer, "The Real Things Team Trump Is Trying to Accomplish in Asia," 3 Nov. 2017
In what was a hard fought victory for the Gunners, their copious amounts of pressure and possession ultimately paid off, while Swansea are pushed further into an unwanted relegation battle.

— SI.com, "Arsene Wenger Praises His Team's Character After Fighting Back From a Goal Down Against Swansea," 29 Oct. 2017
Gibson alleged that the judge needed money to cover his copious campaign debts before agreeing to drop his campaign.

— jeremy roebuck, Philly.com, "Former judge admits concealing payments he got from Brady campaign," 2 Oct. 2017
Check out Smith's entire thread — with copious sourcing and other compelling evidence — below.

— andrea park, Teen Vogue, "Theory Claims Kylie Jenner's Pregnancy May Have Been Predicted By a Shaman Before Kylie Even Knew," 25 Sep. 2017
Dairy cattle need a lot of it, and produce copious excrement and urine in return.

— The Economist, "BanyanWill New Zealand remain a green and pleasant land?," 21 Sep. 2017
Most of his work, though, obviously, was in the form of opinions and dissents, and even the best Supreme Court opinions are required to include copious citations in the text, which, for the general reader, can be distracting speed bumps.

— mona charen, National Review, "Scalia’s Legacy," 12 Oct. 2017
Upstairs, amid concrete walls and copious light, there are works by Maurizio Cattelan, Kurt Schwitters and Alexander Calder.

— ted loos, New York Times, "An Artful Marriage: She Picks, He Learns to Like," 3 Oct. 2017
Wire-Fox Terriers are known for their energy, friendliness, and intelligence, but also require regular grooming and copious amounts of attention, making them excellent companions.

— nadine jolie courtney, Town & Country, "The Fanciest Dog Breeders Across the Country," 19 Oct. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'copious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What's the Difference Between copious, ample, and plentiful?

Copious derives from Latin copia ("abundance"), which in turn combines the prefix co- and ops ("wealth" or "power"). "Copious" and "opulent" (also from "ops"), along with "ample," "plentiful," and "abundant," all mean "more than sufficient." "Ample" implies a generous sufficiency to satisfy a particular requirement ("ample proof"). "Copious" puts emphasis upon largeness of supply more than on fullness or richness ("copious toasts to the bride and groom"). "Plentiful" implies a rich, and usually more than sufficient, supply ("a plentiful supply of textbooks"). "Abundant" suggests a greater or richer supply than "plentiful" does ("moved by the abundant offers to help"). But use "opulent" when the supply is both abundant and infused with a richness that allows an extra measure of gratification ("the opulent blossoms of the cherry trees").