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

Pickle Pop gave Robertson a vast canvas to show off her eye for interior design: The cavernous space has three pickleball courts in a custom dark red, a seating area filled with space-age furniture sourced from the Rose Bowl Flea Market, and sumptuous baby-blue velvet curtains cloaking the walls. —Carly Olson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2023

When Gauff broke Sabalenka to open the third set—with an overhead smash after yet another indefatigable defensive stand—the crowd reached a state of delirium that tennis produces only in the cavernous Ashe Stadium, and only for an American on the verge of a U.S. Open championship. —Gerald Marzorati, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2023

That’s less than half the capacity at the cavernous Superdome, where Tulane played from 1975 to 2013 (and where Tulane beat Ole Miss in the dome’s first college game in 1975). —Mark Heim | [e-mail], al, 9 Sep. 2023

His upper register deserted him, replaced by a cavernous bottom end. —Jeff Gage, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2023

The cavernous space on the Lower East Side where the show was held was heaving with anticipation. —Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2023

At Disney’s upfront, held in a cavernous space at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the company made do without actors by leaning into its NFL and sports stars, with ESPN2 Manningcast host Peyton Manning and Serena Williams making appearances. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Sep. 2023

In the cavernous main space, enormous windows bring in tons of light and provide dreamy views over the mountains and oceans. —Mark David, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2023

But if your reality is more cramped and chaotic than cavernous and collated, fear not. —Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023

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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