adjective
-
suggestive of a cavern in vastness, darkness, etc
cavernous hungry eyes
-
filled with small cavities; porous
-
(of rocks) containing caverns or cavities
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cavernous
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Latin word cavernōsus. See cavern, -ous
Explanation
If something reminds you of a cave or cavern in size, shape, or feel, you can describe it with the adjective cavernous. Your cavernous basement is huge, damp, and dark, but fortunately there are no bats down there. Cavernous, "cavern," and "cave" all come from the same Latin root word cavus, meaning hollow. Anything that's vast or deep can be described as cavernous, like your favorite professor's cavernous knowledge about the subject of 17th century literature. As a medical or anatomical term, cavernous refers to something that is porous, particularly when it's filled with tiny blood vessels.
Vocabulary lists containing cavernous
Tuck Everlasting
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Esperanza Rising
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This Week in Words: August 21 - 25, 2017
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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.
Filmed at the cavernous, non-denominational Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., “Prodigal Daughter” finds Tomlinson in a state of true acceptance.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
Data centers on the ground feature racks of servers in cavernous, temperature-controlled buildings.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
The court was shown a 17-minute video shot by forensic police of Maradona on his deathbed, wearing a pair of football shorts and a black t-shirt pulled up to reveal a cavernous stomach.
From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026
A cavernous main auditorium offered days full of panels and speakers.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
The phone rings and rings in the cavernous house, several receivers in different rooms trilling in different keys.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
