cavern

American  

[kav-ern] / ˈkæv ərn /

noun

1. a cave, especially one that is large and mostly underground.

2. Pathology. a cavity that is produced by disease, especially one produced in the lungs by tuberculosis.

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verb (used with object)

1. to enclose in or as if in a cavern.

2. to hollow out to form a cavern.

cavern British  

/ ˈkævən /

noun

1. a cave, esp when large and formed by underground water, or a large chamber in a cave

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verb

1. to shut in or as if in a cavern

2. to hollow out

cavern Scientific  

/ kăv′ərn /

1. A large cave.

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Etymology

Origin of cavern

1325–75; Middle English caverne < Latin caverna, equivalent to cav ( us ) hollow + -erna, as in cisterna cistern

Example Sentences

The infrastructure also includes salt caverns to store hydrogen underground, which Storengy Deutschland is building around an existing site for storing natural gas in Lower Saxony.

From BBC

It’s cool in the room, as if I’m no longer in the humid underground cavern— but in a whole different dimension.

From Literature

The congenial thumping of the wolf’s tail against the stone floor echoed in hidden caverns far below.

From Literature

Domestic storage caverns are starting this heating season filled with about 4% more gas than the five-year average, which is similar to last year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Finally, the flow of floodwater slowed, and when the robot skidded to a stop, she was in an ice cavern.

From Literature

Related Words

• cave
• grotto
• pothole