abundance

American  

[uh-buhn-duhns] / əˈbʌn dəns /

noun

1. an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply.

   an abundance of grain.

   Synonyms:

   plenteousness, copiousness

   Antonyms:

   scarcity

2. overflowing fullness.

   abundance of the heart.

   Synonyms:

   generosity

3. affluence; wealth.

   the enjoyment of abundance.

4. 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.

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abundance British  

/ əˈbʌndəns /

noun

1. a copious supply; great amount

2. fullness or benevolence

   from the abundance of my heart

3. degree of plentifulness

4. 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

5. 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

6. Also called: abondance.  a call in solo whist undertaking to make nine tricks

7. affluence

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Related Words

See plenty.

Other Word Forms

• preabundance noun

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."

Example Sentences

Here are the best spots to see an abundance of colorful wildflowers in Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

"Joy, abundance of spirit, infectious laughter. A titan of a ginger haired man."

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

It is a dish born of abundance and branding — creamy, bronzed, a little breathless.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

Despite the abundance of material, it remains difficult to determine exactly which deities were worshipped.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Diligent mice tended the neat little vegetable patches which every season gave forth an abundance of fresh produce: cabbages, sprouts, marrows, turnips, peas, carrots, tomatoes, lettuces and onions, all in their turn.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• affluence
• bounty
• myriad
• plenty
• plethora
• profusion
• prosperity
• riches
• wealth