cavern

1 of 2

noun

cav·​ern ˈka-vərn How to pronounce cavern (audio)
 also  -vrən
: cave
especially : one of large or indefinite extent

cavern

2 of 2

verb

caverned; caverning; caverns

transitive verb

1
: to place in or as if in a cavern
2
: to form a cavern of : hollow
used with out

Examples of cavern in a Sentence

Noun a cavern with beautiful stalactites
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The sudden turbulence swept organic matter from the pupfish's critical spawning shelf into the depths of the cavern, which extends over 500 feet. Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024 Hike through thrilling jungle terrain, explore a breathtaking network of underground caverns, and rappel down a stunning waterfall with a heart-pounding descent into the Belizean rainforest. Patricia Johnson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
Verb
In the hunt, scientists have erected detectors in a South Dakota cavern a mile underground, at the bottom of Lake Baikal in Siberia, under a mountain in Japan, and on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea. Robert Lee Hotz, WSJ, 12 July 2018 See all Example Sentences for cavern 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English caverne, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin caverna "hollow space, crevice, tree hole, cave," from cavus "hollow, sunken" + -erna, noun-forming suffix of uncertain origin — more at hole entry 1

Verb

derivative of cavern entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1630, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cavern was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near cavern

Cite this Entry

“Cavern.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cavern. Accessed 14 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cavern

noun
cav·​ern
ˈkav-ərn
: a cave often of large or unknown size

Medical Definition

cavern

noun
cav·​ern ˈkav-ərn How to pronounce cavern (audio)
: a cavity (as in the lung) caused by disease

More from Merriam-Webster on cavern

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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