cornucopia

[kawr-nuh-koh-pee-uh, -nyuh-]

noun

1. Classical Mythology.,  a horn containing food, drink, etc., in endless supply, said to have been a horn of the goat Amalthaea.

2. a representation of this horn, used as a symbol of abundance.

3. an abundant, overflowing supply.

4. a horn-shaped or conical receptacle or ornament.

cornucopia

/ ˌkɔːnjʊˈkəʊpɪə /

noun

1. Greek myth the horn of Amalthea, the goat that suckled Zeus

2. a representation of such a horn in painting, sculpture, etc, overflowing with fruit, vegetables, etc; horn of plenty

3. a great abundance; overflowing supply

4. a horn-shaped container

Other Word Forms

• cornucopian adjective
• cornucopiate adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cornucopia¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of cornucopia¹

C16: from Late Latin, from Latin cornūcōpiae horn of plenty

Example Sentences

And out of the animals’ mouths, like cornucopias, flow gleaming vines, leaves and bunches of grapes.

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Pavilion in Venice into a vibrant stage that invited people from all walks of life to interact with the cornucopia of works.

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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.

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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?

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But Alaska was no cornucopia, and hungry Russia cast its eyes south, to verdant California.

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Related Words

• abundance 
• affluence 
• cash 
• property 
• prosperity 
• revenue 
• riches 
• richness www.thesaurus.com
• security 
• treasure 
• worth 

When To Use

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.