Word: copious (adjective)

Associations

"Copious" means a large amount or abundant, often used to describe something that exists in great quantity.

• She took copious notes during the lecture. (Here, it means many notes.)
• The writer produced copious drafts before finishing the book. (Many drafts.)
• After the rain, there was copious water flowing in the river. (A lot of water.) A similar word is "plentiful," but "copious" often suggests more than just enough; it implies a very large amount, sometimes more detailed or overflowing.

Substitution

You can replace "copious" with:

• abundant (general large amount)
• plentiful (more common in everyday use)
• extensive (larger in scope, sometimes more formal) Each word changes the tone slightly. "Copious" often sounds more formal or literary.

Deconstruction

"Copious" comes from Latin "copiosus," meaning "abundant, rich."

• Root: "copia" means "plenty" or "supply."
• Suffix: "-ous" means "full of." So, "copious" literally means "full of plenty."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where having copious information might be helpful or overwhelming?
• Have you ever written copious notes or collected copious amounts of something? What was it?
• How would you describe a copious meal or copious laughter? What images come to mind?