abundance
Americannoun
-
an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply.
an abundance of grain.
- Synonyms:
- plenteousness, copiousness
- Antonyms:
- scarcity
-
overflowing fullness.
abundance of the heart.
- Synonyms:
- generosity
-
affluence; wealth.
the enjoyment of abundance.
-
Physics, Chemistry. the number of atoms of one isotope of an element divided by the total number of atoms in a mixture of the isotopes.
noun
-
a copious supply; great amount
-
fullness or benevolence
from the abundance of my heart
-
degree of plentifulness
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chem the extent to which an element or ion occurs in the earth's crust or some other specified environment: often expressed in parts per million or as a percentage
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physics the ratio of the number of atoms of a specific isotope in a mixture of isotopes of an element to the total number of atoms present: often expressed as a percentage
the abundance of neon-22 in natural neon is 8.82 per cent
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Also called: abondance. a call in solo whist undertaking to make nine tricks
-
affluence
Related Words
See plenty.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of abundance
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin abundantia. See abundant, -ance
Explanation
To have an abundance of something is to have more than you need. It's often used to describe positive qualities, such as "an abundance of love." Abundance is the opposite of scarcity. An abundance of wealth is a ton of cash. An abundance of friends sounds like a good thing, but it can get overwhelming when it comes to scheduling time to hang out or buying gifts. This noun comes to us from the mid-14th century French, via the Latin abundantia, meaning "fullness, plenty."
Vocabulary lists containing abundance
A Long Walk to Water
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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Lyndon B. Johnson on "The Great Society" (1964)
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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.
Many of them are doing so out of a well-meaning but ill-informed abundance of caution.
From Salon • May 7, 2026
They looked for data and research that had been collected locally—about wolf abundance in Jasper National Park, for example.
From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026
From the exterior, the property is surrounded by lush greenery and offers panoramic views of the Pacific, creating a true natural sanctuary—one that also includes an abundance of fruit trees.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
Seven-time Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles is among a host of high-profile sports and entertainment figures to post about the event on social media, with an abundance of VIPs expected at Saturday's event.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
The spirits that Leah had called forth blessed her with abundance.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
