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

As if answering an altar call, congregants in the cavernous auditorium at Prestonwood rose to their feet for an extended ovation. —Michael Luo, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025

The eat-in country-style kitchen boasted a white marble island and a butler’s pantry, while the cavernous primary suite was equipped with an accommodating walk-in closet and a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub and a steam shower. —Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025

Capable of holding up to 1,500 tons of water, these cavernous containers would’ve been vital to the survival of a city that had few natural sources of H2O — especially when Alexander the Great was mounting blockades. —Barry Neild, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025

The film is an adaptation of the ghost novel What Happens At Night, which follows a married couple that travels to Europe to adopt a baby, staying in a cavernous, fading European hotel filled with eccentric characters. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 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