cavity

[ kav-i-tee ]

/ ˈkæv ɪ ti /

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See synonyms for: cavity / cavities on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural cav·i·ties.

any hollow place; hollow.

Anatomy. a hollow space within the body, an organ, a bone, etc.

a hollow space or a pit in a tooth, most commonly produced by caries. A cavity may be artificially made to support dental restorations.

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Origin of cavity

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French cavite from Late Latin cavitās “hollowness,” equivalent to Latin cav(us) “hollow” + -itās -ity

synonym study for cavity

1. See hole.

OTHER WORDS FROM cavity

cav·i·tied, adjectivesub·cav·i·ty, noun, plural sub·cav·i·ties.un·cav·i·tied, adjective

Words nearby cavity

CA virus, cavitary, cavitation, Cavite, cavitis, cavity, cavity block, cavity resonator, cavity wall, cavogram, cavography

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

MORE ABOUT CAVITY

What is a cavity?

A cavity is a pit or hole in a tooth caused by the decay of the enamel and bone, such as you might get if you don’t brush your teeth regularly.

A cavity is more generally any hollow place or crater, as in When the old building was torn down, all that was left was a huge cavity in the ground.

A cavity is also any other hole, divet, or pit in the body, such as the spinal cavity, which surrounds your spinal cord.

Example: That cavity in your molar is probably from all the soda you drink.

Where does cavity come from?

The first records of the term cavity come from the 1500s. It ultimately comes from the Latin cavus, meaning “hollow.” A cavity is always something that is hollow, with the context it is used in telling you how deep the cavity is and how large it is.

Cavity can be used to describe any empty area, which is useful in construction and production, as many products and materials are made with a cavity in the middle either for soundness purposes or to save money on materials. For example, a cavity wall is a wall of a building that has room in the middle for insulation or ventilation.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to cavity?

cavitied (adjective)
subcavity (noun)
uncavitied (adjective)

What are some synonyms for cavity?

What are some words that share a root or word element with cavity?

What are some words that often get used in discussing cavity?

How is cavity used in real life?

Cavity is frequently used to refer to decaying in one’s teeth, but it is also often used to discuss much larger hollow spaces.

I'm such a sweet tooth ….. I can't help it 😍😍😍😍 sorry cavities ✌️😘

— ♕MsJane (@dinahjane97) September 2, 2015

Just had my first cavity filled. Actually my first 5! How did that happen since the last time I saw my dentist?!

— James Maslow (@jamesmaslow) June 11, 2014

British Gas to cut 500 jobs. Some of them are understood to be in Leeds. The posts will be in its loft and cavity wall insulation business.

— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) February 2, 2016

Try using cavity!

Is cavity used correctly in the following sentence?

That cavity under your arm is called your armpit.

How to use cavity in a sentence

Pimples, yeast infections, and dental cavities are examples of dysbiotic diseases in people—conditions caused not necessarily by newly arrived pathogens, but by ever-present microbes that bloom and harm their host.
When Evolution Is Infectious - Issue 90: Something Green|Moises Velasquez-Manoff|September 30, 2020|Nautilus
Now scientists have investigated how much of this soot came from the wildfires, and how much came from older materials like coal and oil in rocks from the cavity, known as the Chicxulub impact crater.
An asteroid didn’t kill the dinosaurs by itself. Earth helped.|Kate Baggaley|September 30, 2020|Popular-Science
Studies have suggested that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, first binds to cells in the body’s nasal cavity and then begins replicating, spreading through the body’s respiratory tract.
Spit vs. Swab? Scientists say new studies support use of ‘saliva tests’ for COVID|Lee Clifford|September 5, 2020|Fortune
The kayak was built on a double-hull design that creates a deep cavity in the center of the boat.
This motorized kayak can drive itself|By Nate Matthews/Outdoor Life|August 28, 2020|Popular-Science

For example, two photons bouncing around in the cavity might represent a qubit with a value of 0, and four photons might indicate a value of 1.
To live up to the hype, quantum computers must repair their error problems|Emily Conover|June 22, 2020|Science News
Some have speculated that cessation of CPR decreases pressure in the chest cavity, allowing blood to return to the heart.
Real Life Lazarus: When Patients Rise From the Dead|Sandeep Jauhar|August 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The force of the two reacting spreads the foam through the chest cavity, hardening to apply pressure to any bleed sites.
New 'Suspended Animation' Procedure Saves Lives by Replacing Blood with a Cold Electrolyte Solution|Elizabeth Lopatto|April 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Injuries within the chest cavity may not be readily visible to medics, and are difficult to compress, King said.
New 'Suspended Animation' Procedure Saves Lives by Replacing Blood with a Cold Electrolyte Solution|Elizabeth Lopatto|April 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Take a “cavity bomb,” for example: explosives hidden in rolls of fat, between butt cheeks.
Man’s Airport Strip Meant to Highlight Intrusive and Ineffective TSA Security|Winston Ross|May 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Heaven help us the first time a would-be suicide bomber is caught with explosives hidden in a body cavity.
TSA, Don't Touch My Junk!|Robert Poole|November 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
There appears a rude attempt to picture the mouth cavity and to show those interesting accessories, the teeth.
Children's Ways|James Sully
In addition, chylous and chyloid exudates are occasionally met, particularly in the peritoneal cavity.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
In this specimen the tubular cavity of the stalactite is still open.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King
All about the cavity in the sand lay stones big and little, timbers, stakes, loops of rope.
Mushroom Town|Oliver Onions
They were carried up to the top of the tree, and disappeared, still fighting, within the cavity.
The Devil-Tree of El Dorado|Frank Aubrey

British Dictionary definitions for cavity

cavity

/ (ˈkævɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

a hollow space; hole

dentistry a soft decayed area on a toothSee caries

any empty or hollow space within the bodythe oral cavity

electronics See cavity resonator

Word Origin for cavity

C16: from French cavité, from Late Latin cavitās, from Latin cavus hollow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for cavity

cavity

[ kăv′ĭ-tē ]

A hollow area within the body, such as a sinus cavity.

A pitted area in a tooth caused by caries.

Scientific definitions for cavity

cavity

[ kăv′ĭ-tē ]

A hollow; a hole.

A hollow area within the body.

A pitted area in a tooth caused by caries.

cavity

Origin of cavity

synonym study for cavity

OTHER WORDS FROM cavity

Words nearby cavity

MORE ABOUT CAVITY

What is a cavity?

Where does cavity come from?

Did you know … ?

How is cavity used in real life?

Try using cavity!

Words related to cavity

How to use cavity in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cavity

Word Origin for cavity

Medical definitions for cavity

Scientific definitions for cavity