Copious Meaning: Copiously, Examples and Practice Quiz

Copious (adjective). Copious means present or supplied in a large quantity. It can describe many notes, plenty of information or a substantial amount of rain. The quantity may be useful; copious does not automatically mean excessive.

Example: Farah made copious notes during the workshop, filling six pages with ideas and questions.

Pronunciation guide: KOH-pee-uhs. Capital letters show the stressed syllable.

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Copious notes and other common phrases

• Copious notes: a large amount of written material, often collected during reading or listening.
• Copious amounts of rain: a great quantity of rainfall.
• Copious examples: many examples supplied to illustrate something.
• Copious information: a substantial amount of information.

Large quantities are the shared idea. A lot of notes may still contain mistakes, so “copious” does not tell you whether they are accurate or well organised.

Copious, copiously and copiousness

Copious is an adjective: “copious notes.” Copiously is an adverb meaning in great quantity or to a great extent: “The reviewer quoted copiously from the letters.”

Copiousness is a noun for abundance or the quality of being copious. “The copiousness of the material made it difficult to summarise” is grammatical, though “the large amount of material” may be easier to read.

Compare “The book contains copious illustrations” with “The book is copiously illustrated.” The second sentence uses the adverb to describe illustrated.

Examples and grammar patterns

• The recipe includes copious quantities of fresh herbs.
• The research folder contains copious correspondence about the building.
• Visitors received a booklet with copious illustrations of the exhibition.
• It rained copiously during the night.

Use the adjective directly before a suitable noun: “copious notes” or “copious rainfall.” With amounts or quantities, use of: “copious amounts of water.” Avoid adding a plural ending to an uncountable noun such as information.

Copious vs excessive: choosing the right word

Copious emphasises a large supply. Excessive says there is more than is needed or appropriate. A guide can contain copious examples that are helpful; calling the examples excessive criticises their quantity.

Abundant, plentiful and ample are useful alternatives in some contexts. Scant or sparse may express a contrast. The word has Latin roots associated with plenty.

When editing, ask whether you want to describe a quantity or judge it. That decision will help you choose between “copious” and “excessive.”

Practise copious: three quick questions

Try each question before opening its answer. If a question asks you to write a sentence, your own correct example is welcome.

Question 1

Does “copious notes” necessarily mean the notes are too long or unwanted?

Question 2

Complete: “The guide is ___ illustrated.” Choose copious or copiously.

Question 3

Correct this phrase: “copious amounts information.”

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Compare these words next: Versatile meaning and practice and Vigilant meaning and practice.

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Dictionary reference: Merriam-Webster: Copious. The examples and practice questions on this page are written for English Skill Studio.