cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈka-və-tē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

especially : a hollowed-out space

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries

Synonyms

• concavity
• dent
• depression
• dint
• hole
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• pit
• recess

Examples of cavity in a Sentence

Some birds nest in tree cavities.

I had two cavities filled at the dentist's.

Recent Examples on the Web

Untreated cavities can cause pain and infection.28 Periodontal (gum) disease: Gum diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, develop when bacteria in the mouth produce plaque, a sticky film on tooth surfaces. —Lindsay Curtis, Health, 25 Sep. 2024

One of the restaurant’s thirty-five steady-handed chefs had spooned this mixture into a cavity in the eye’s center, then topped it with black caviar suspended in a gel made from codfish eyes and razor clams, to simulate a wet cornea-like surface. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2024

Endometriosis: Endometriosis is a condition in which the tissues lining the uterus grow outside the uterine cavity, causing pain and infertility. —Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2024

Connecting the olfactory bulb and the nasal cavity is the olfactory nerve. —Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French cavité, borrowed from Late Latin cavitāt-, cavitās, from Latin cavus "hollow, concave" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at hole entry 1

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cavity

• abdominal cavity
• body cavity
• pelvic cavity
• segmentation cavity
• spinal cavity
• thoracic cavity

Kids Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: a hollow place

especially : an unfilled bodily space

lung cavity

2

: a hole hollowed out in a tooth by decay

Medical Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries