diff --git a/pandas/core/generic.py b/pandas/core/generic.py
index 24b883b90cf5d..d2379942de121 100644
--- a/pandas/core/generic.py
+++ b/pandas/core/generic.py
@@ -2952,7 +2952,13 @@ def copy(self, deep=True):
         Parameters
         ----------
         deep : boolean or string, default True
-            Make a deep copy, i.e. also copy data
+            Make a deep copy, including a copy of the data and the indices.
+            With ``deep=False`` neither the indices or the data are copied.
+            
+            Note that when ``deep=True`` data is copied unless ``dtype=object``,
+            in which case only the reference to the object is copied. This is
+            in contrast to ``copy.deepcopy`` in the Standard Library, which
+            recursively copies object data.
 
         Returns
         -------