Cope's rule

proper noun

A rule stating that population lineages tend to increase in body size over evolutionary time.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A rule stating that population lineages tend to increase in body size over evolutionary time.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
cope's law

Origin

Named after American paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope. The rule was never actually stated by Cope, though he did tend to hypothesize about the occurrence of linear evolutionary trends.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Cope's rule. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cope's%20rule

MLA

“Cope's rule.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cope's%20rule. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Cope's rule,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cope's%20rule.

Source: Cope's rule on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.