voluminous
Americanadjective
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forming, filling, or writing a large volume or many volumes.
a voluminous edition.
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sufficient to fill a volume or volumes.
a voluminous correspondence.
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of great volume, size, or extent.
voluminous flow of lava.
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of ample size, extent, or fullness.
voluminous petticoats.
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having many coils, convolutions, or windings.
adjective
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of great size, quantity, volume, or extent
-
(of writing) consisting of or sufficient to fill volumes
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prolific in writing or speech
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obsolete winding
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of voluminous
1605–15; < Late Latin volūminōsus full of folds, equivalent to Latin volūmin- (stem of volūmen ) volume + -ōsus -ous
Explanation
Consider that volume is a measure of size. That will help you understand that voluminous refers to something very large in size or extent. Suppose instead of calling a book a book, you called it a volume. Suddenly, it seems to be part of a much bigger thing. And what if it were only Volume I, with 23 more volumes to go? Even bigger, right? In fact, it's more than big; it’s voluminous. Voluminous describes very large things. The flouncy skirt of a wedding dress? Voluminous. Media coverage of some movie star's divorce? Also voluminous. The word voluminous describes something ample, extensive, and just plain huge.
Vocabulary lists containing voluminous
"The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "V"
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The House of the Scorpion
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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.
When Elliott Mossman compiled and translated that correspondence in 1981, his annotations relied on Freidenberg’s recently discovered and voluminous diaries.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
“These were very serious allegations, and we are grateful to the Court for its careful review of the facts, law and voluminous evidence,” they added.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
What many saw was a cautious career prosecutor who was forced to testify under duress and who deflected questions from both Democrats and Republicans by referring repeatedly to his voluminous report.
From Barron's • Mar. 21, 2026
And she looked just as ethereal tonight on the red carpet in an incredibly voluminous peplum-skirted dress.
From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026
Like all the other kids, she now wore a tunic that fell to midthigh, with voluminous pockets, for when she went on a fetch.
From "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder
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.
