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

The entrance is a quiet and cavernous space with a magnificent spiral staircase made of stone with wrought iron railings. — Mary Holland, Robb Report, 8 Oct. 2026

More than 300 men sleep each night in cavernous dormitories lined with rows of metal beds at Schwartz Men’s Shelter on Wards Island. — Jeffrey Ginsburg, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

One such mystery is a large underground cave, or a cavernous tube carved out by ancient lava, that scientists think extends past a particular pit on the moon's surface. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Treatments follow Thai, Chinese, and Indian healing methods, and the cavernous aqua-therapy lounge with sauna and vitality pool is a blissful hangout after a massage. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

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