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

Alma lives in a large, cavernous farmhouse in northern Germany that is both a hide-and-seeker’s playground and a voyeur’s delight. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025

The cavernous building is nearly deserted, most of the storefronts covered in a blank facade. —John Ramos, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025

After a season or two, there’s practically an echo from the cavernous void beneath those buckles. —Sergei Poljak, Outside, 16 Nov. 2025

But the venue was too cavernous, and no one complained when the schools agreed to go back to on-campus venues. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 15 Nov. 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