Definition
Copious means abundant or plentiful in quantity, often to the point of excess.
Pronunciation
US English
UK English
Part of Speech
Adjective
Synonyms
Abundant, plentiful, ample, profuse, bountiful, generous, overflowing, extensive, lavish, ample.
Antonyms
Scanty, inadequate, insufficient, meager, scarce, limited, sparse, minimal, paltry, short.
Word Forms
| Part of Speech | Words |
|---|---|
| Noun | copiousness, copiousnesses |
| Verb | None |
| Adjective | copious |
| Adverb | copiously |
Example Sentences
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After the rainfall, the garden was filled with copious amounts of flowers and greenery.
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During dinner, the host served copious portions of lobster, steak, and salads.
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The student was praised by the teacher for writing a copious essay on the Civil War.
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The author’s copious research on the subject matter made his book an authoritative work.
Usage
Copious is an adjective used to describe a large quantity of something, often to the point of excess. The word comes from the Latin word “copiosus,” which means “abundant.” Its root word, “copia,” means “plenty” or “abundance.”
The use of prefixes and suffixes can modify the meaning of the word copious. For example, the prefix “e-” can be added to create the word “epicopious,” which means excessively abundant. The suffix “-ly” can be added to create the adverb “copiously,” which means doing something abundantly or excessively. Similarly, the suffix “-ness” can be added to create the noun “copiousness,” which refers to the quality or state of being abundant.
Copious can be used in various contexts ranging from food, writing, research, and even nature. For example, a host can offer his guests copious amounts of food, meaning they have an abundance of food to eat. Likewise, a writer can produce a copious amount of work, which means they have written a large quantity of text on a particular topic. In nature, one can describe the rainfall as copious when there is an excessive amount of rain falling.
Overall, the word copious can be a useful term to describe anything that is abundant or plentiful. Its versatility allows it to be used in various contexts, making it an enriching word to have in one’s vocabulary.