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

While the build quality and paintwork are top notch, the specialist press found that the cavernous hollow carbon frame acts like a giant acoustic amplifier on the trail. — New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026

That didn’t work at the comically oversized Olympic Stadium, where the beam landed in a gaping, cavernous empty space. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

The cavernous divide between MLB and its union signals there’s a long road ahead, and Opening Night on March 24, 2027, will come quickly. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 29 Oct. 2026

Dressed in fatigues on the play’s cavernous, military hangar-like set and sporting a slight Southern accent, Whitford’s Jessep feels a world away from Josh Lyman. — David MacK, CNN Money, 25 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