cavernous

adjective

cav·​ern·​ous ˈka-vər-nəs How to pronounce cavernous (audio)
1
a
: having caverns or cavities
b
of animal tissue : composed largely of vascular sinuses and capable of dilating with blood to bring about the erection of a body part
2
: constituting or suggesting a cavern
a cavernous warehouse
cavernously adverb

Examples of cavernous in a Sentence

We toured the cavernous airplane hangar. The dance was held in a cavernous hall.
Recent Examples on the Web The Greater Antilles and the Yucatán Peninsula form one of the most cavernous regions in the world, and many of these grottos contain precolonial inscriptions. Carina Del Valle Schorske, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Campbell blamed the shooting woes on playing in the cavernous 17,608-seat arena. Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Mar. 2024 Here’s a look at five things that drastically altered the Hornets’ fortunes, putting them in cavernous hole that’s proven tough to climb out of: LaMelo Ball’s pesky ankles The Hornets star point guard came into the season looking to put the injury troubles behind him. Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 15 Feb. 2024 On Monday, state leaders including Xi and Li attended the opening session of a parallel advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, in the cavernous, red-carpeted chamber of the Great Hall of the People on one side of Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Ken Moritsugu and Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 Image On a recent afternoon, at her individual workbench in the cavernous 207th Street facility, Gay Burdick, an electronic equipment maintainer, unfurled a crisp new roll of train signage. David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Its 4,000 square feet to the original’s 800 is big enough to hold more tables but not so cavernous that Blue Collar’s cozy feeling will be muted. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 Los Angeles police are investigating a theft ring that allegedly swiped millions of dollars worth of shoes in an elaborate scheme that stretched from a cavernous Nike warehouse in Memphis, Tenn., to a swanky Hollywood apartment building. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2024 In the main dining room, a cavernous room with a seven-meter ceiling, once the trading floor of the stock exchange, will play host to a Venetian outpost of Palais Royal, opening in April for those seeking a fine-dining fix. Zoe Dubno, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cavernous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin cavernōsus "having hollows or depressions," from caverna "hollow space, cavern entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cavernous was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near cavernous

Cite this Entry

“Cavernous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cavernous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cavernous

adjective
cav·​ern·​ous ˈkav-ər-nəs How to pronounce cavernous (audio)
1
: having caverns or cavities
2
: resembling a cavern in being large and hollow
3
: composed largely of spaces capable of filling with blood to bring about the enlargement of a body part
cavernously adverb

Medical Definition

cavernous

adjective
cav·​ern·​ous ˈkav-ər-nəs How to pronounce cavernous (audio)
1
: having caverns or cavities
2
of tissue : composed largely of vascular sinuses and capable of dilating with blood to bring about the erection of a body part
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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