cornucopia
Americannoun
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Classical Mythology. a horn containing food, drink, etc., in endless supply, said to have been a horn of the goat Amalthaea.
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a representation of this horn, used as a symbol of abundance.
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an abundant, overflowing supply.
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a horn-shaped or conical receptacle or ornament.
noun
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Greek myth the horn of Amalthea, the goat that suckled Zeus
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a representation of such a horn in painting, sculpture, etc, overflowing with fruit, vegetables, etc; horn of plenty
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a great abundance; overflowing supply
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a horn-shaped container
Usage
What is a cornucopia? Cornucopia refers to an abundance or an overflowing supply, as in Santa Claus’ workshop has a cornucopia of toys, everything from alphabet blocks to stuffed zebras. A cornucopia is a horned-shaped container filled with food or a decoration resembling this. You might commonly see images of a straw cornucopia with fruits and vegetables in it around Thanksgiving.The original cornucopia comes from Greek mythology. It was an empty goat horn that spilled out an endless supply of food and drink.The adjective cornucopian describes something related to a cornucopia, usually a large amount of something, as in The warehouse was stocked with a cornucopian amount of food and drinks. Example: We were amazed by the cornucopia of foods and desserts available at the bustling marketplace.
Other Word Forms
- cornucopian adjective
- cornucopiate adjective
Etymology
Origin of cornucopia
First recorded in 1585–95; from Late Latin cornū cōpiae “horn of plenty,” from Latin cornū “horn” + cōpiae (genitive singular of cōpia “abundance”); horn, cornu, copious
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As trick-or-treaters make their rounds this year, many will be expecting the usual cornucopia of candy.
And out of the animals’ mouths, like cornucopias, flow gleaming vines, leaves and bunches of grapes.
Pavilion in Venice into a vibrant stage that invited people from all walks of life to interact with the cornucopia of works.
From Los Angeles Times
The final chapters focus on pulling it all together, suggesting ideas for entertaining and gifting based on this newly learned cornucopia of comestible cannabis knowledge.
From Los Angeles Times
After years of a cornucopia of abusive life choices – both self-inflicted and parentally initiated, Trump clings to a single strand of cogent thought with the tenacity of Sisyphus; how do I glorify myself?
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
