cavernous

adjective

cav·​ern·​ous ˈka-vər-nəs 

1

a

: having caverns or cavities

b

of animal tissue : composed largely of vascular sinuses and capable of dilating with blood to bring about the erection of a body part

2

: constituting or suggesting a cavern

a cavernous warehouse

cavernously adverb

Examples of cavernous in a Sentence

We toured the cavernous airplane hangar.

The dance was held in a cavernous hall.

Recent Examples on the Web

Up Close With The Queen When on display at Madrid’s cavernous Prado Museum–roughly akin in size to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.–Queen Mariana of Austria hangs in a large gallery nearby an even bigger Velázquez masterpiece, Las Meninas, his most famed artwork. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

The first feeling of entering the cathedral can be overwhelming, as the crowds are so big and the architecture seems so cavernous and complex. —Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024

World & Nation Notre Dame Cathedral unveils its new interior 5 years after devastating fire Nov. 29, 2024 In response to the archbishop’s door-knocks, the cathedral will erupt into song, its choirs once again filling the cavernous spaces. —John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024

The venues might be cavernous, but the prices are small. —Will Noble, CNN, 23 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin cavernōsus "having hollows or depressions," from caverna "hollow space, cavern entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

cavernous

adjective

cav·​ern·​ous ˈkav-ər-nəs 

1

: having caverns or cavities

2

: resembling a cavern in being large and hollow

3

: composed largely of spaces capable of filling with blood to bring about the enlargement of a body part

cavernously adverb

Medical Definition

cavernous

adjective

cav·​ern·​ous ˈkav-ər-nəs 

1

: having caverns or cavities

2

of tissue : composed largely of vascular sinuses and capable of dilating with blood to bring about the erection of a body part