cavity

[kav-i-tee]

noun

plural

cavities 

1. any hollow place; hollow.

2. Anatomy.,  a hollow space within the body, an organ, a bone, etc.

3. a hollow space or a pit in a tooth, most commonly produced by caries. A cavity may be artificially made to support dental restorations.

cavity

/ ˈkævɪtɪ /

noun

1. a hollow space; hole

2. dentistry a soft decayed area on a tooth See caries

3. any empty or hollow space within the body

   the oral cavity

4. electronics See cavity resonator

cavity

1. A hollow; a hole.

2. A hollow area within the body.

3. A pitted area in a tooth caused by caries.

Other Word Forms

• cavitied adjective
• subcavity noun
• uncavitied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cavity¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French cavite from Late Latin cavitās “hollowness,” equivalent to Latin cav(us) “hollow” + -itās -ity

Word History and Origins

Origin of cavity¹

C16: from French cavité, from Late Latin cavitās, from Latin cavus hollow

Synonym Study

See hole.

Example Sentences

Which means the movie winds up feeling like the mouthful of cavities Jeffrey gets from living on M&Ms.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

From the Gaia data, the findings support the picture of asteroids as loosely held together rubble piles, with lots of holes and cavities blanketed in thick, dusty regolith.

Read more on Science Daily

Patel’s opening statement was punctuated by a series of snorts so loud that it seemed he might soon eject a noodle from his sinus cavity.

Read more on Salon

The council said people could get advice on schemes available to help with heating costs ahead of autumn and winter, while eligible households can also get help with loft and cavity wall insulation.

Read more on BBC

The “impact fractured his face, embedded shrapnel in his nasal cavity ... left him with permanent disfigurement, vision problems, and severe emotional trauma,” according to a statement by the Glucks’ attorneys.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crater 

When To Use

What is a cavity?

A cavity is a pit or hole in a tooth caused by the decay of the enamel and bone, such as you might get if you don’t brush your teeth regularly.A cavity is more generally any hollow place or crater, as in When the old building was torn down, all that was left was a huge cavity in the ground.A cavity is also any other hole, divet, or pit in the body, such as the spinal cavity, which surrounds your spinal cord.Example: That cavity in your molar is probably from all the soda you drink.