copi

noun

co·​pi ˈkō-pē 

plural copi

: asian carp

Illinois has launched a new offensive in the war on invasive Asian carp. … On Wednesday, Illinois officials announced a new name for the carp, which is actually an umbrella name for bighead, black, grass and silver carp. They will now be referred to collectively as copi.

—Patti Wetli

It's "copi," short for "copious," which the fish certainly are in Illinois's waterways. … The new moniker's main goal is to encourage people to eat the fish, whose decades-old status as a nuisance species has proved to be a roadblock for prospective diners. But some also saw xenophobic undertones in the old name, and the change comes amid a wider shift to banish offensive terms for everything from insects and birds to mountains.

—Christian Elliott

Examples of copi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Which is why some people in the U.S. are on a mission to re-brand the fish. Carp Recipes Recently, food and sustainability writer Gabriella Vigoreaux developed two recipes to showcase copi: the classic Midwestern fish fry and a Thai-style curry. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 9 Aug. 2023

Invasive carp or copi are billed as a heart-healthy fish rich in Omega 3s. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 9 Aug. 2023

Officials hope that by creating a consumer demand for copi, more of the species will be fished out of local waterways. —Carolyn Hagler, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2023

Meanwhile, Kevin Irons is already seeing this campaign make a difference in how many copi fill the local rivers. —Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2023

Goss said that in a blind taste test with catfish and other white fish, many people actually preferred the copi. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 July 2022

His is one of about two dozen restaurants, stores and wholesalers lined up to begin selling copi on Wednesday. —Peter Kendall, Washington Post, 22 June 2022

Officials are hoping more people will choose to eat copi. —Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 27 July 2022

Word History

Etymology

by shortening of copious (alluding to the abundance of the fish)

Note: The coinage was introduced by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 2022 as an alternative name for Asian carp.

First Known Use

2022, in the meaning defined above