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

Wearing a green military uniform and short beard, Salami took the salute of soldiers in the cavernous underground complex and walked over the United States and Israel flags on the ground. —Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 13 June 2025

What the front-wheel-drive architecture allows is a truly cavernous interior, whose flat floor improves entry and exit for rear-seat passengers, with comfort and a sense of spaciousness unlike any other luxury two-door vehicle from the U.S. at the time. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 June 2025

Visitors will see unforgettable sea life — which includes the deep, dark undersea cavernous environment where exotic life exists — along with celebrating local creatures from the Monterey Bay environs. —Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025

The Bass Concert Hall turned dark, seeming almost cavernous. —Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

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