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.
The Dow rose 0.5% in this period while the Nasdaq composite fell 5.0% — a cavernous 5.5 percentage-point spread.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
It had the wow factor because walking in so high, I felt as if I could touch the clouds as this cavernous open-air bowl opened up in front of my eyes.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Thousands of journalists and officials normally attend the glitzy dinner, which has for years been held in the cavernous conference room of the the Washington Hilton.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
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
The room was cavernous and lonely at night.
From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett
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.
