entry
copious
/ˈkoʊ.pi.əs/Abundant, plentiful, or rich in quantity
From Latin co- (Together) + Latin ops (Power).
from PIE root *op- "to work, produce in abundance." Related: Copiously; copiousness .
from Latin copiosus "plentiful,"
+1 more sourcefrom Latin copiosus "plentiful,"
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English copious
Word Ancestry
from PIE root *op- "to work, produce in abundance." Related: Copiously; copiousness .
from Latin copiosus "plentiful,"
+1 more sourcefrom Latin copiosus "plentiful,"
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English copious
Picture a Roman household with a well-stocked granary, overflowing wine jars, and enough money to make tomorrow’s worries seem pleasantly theoretical: that was copia, “abundance” or “plenty.” The word joined co-—“together”—with ops, a Latin word for resources, power, and wealth; ops was also the name of a Roman goddess associated with abundance. Latin then added -ōsus, “full of,” creating copiosus: literally something laden with plenty. English borrowed it as copious in the mid-14th century, and the meaning soon stretched beyond grain and treasure to include copious words, information, and explanations. So when a student writes a copious answer, the ancient image is not merely “long”: it is a page whose resources are spilling over the edges.
The Story
Picture a Roman household with a well-stocked granary, overflowing wine jars, and enough money to make tomorrow’s worries seem pleasantly theoretical: that was copia, “abundance” or “plenty.” The word joined co-—“together”—with ops, a Latin word for resources, power, and wealth; ops was also the name of a Roman goddess associated with abundance. Latin then added -ōsus, “full of,” creating copiosus: literally something laden with plenty. English borrowed it as copious in the mid-14th century, and the meaning soon stretched beyond grain and treasure to include copious words, information, and explanations. So when a student writes a copious answer, the ancient image is not merely “long”: it is a page whose resources are spilling over the edges.
Modern Usage
A vulgar intensifier meaning a very large amount; also the name of an Australian hip-hop crew from Tasmania
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries for Copious
Kin & Kindred
From 'co-'·Together, jointly, or with
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'ops'·Power, wealth, resources, or productive abundance
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From '-osus'·Full of or characterized by
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary