cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈka-və-tē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

especially : a hollowed-out space

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries

Synonyms

• hole
• dent
• pit
• concavity

Examples of cavity in a Sentence

Some birds nest in tree cavities.

I had two cavities filled at the dentist's.

Recent Examples on the Web

These fibroids can be located on the surface of the uterus, in the wall of the uterus, or the uterine cavity. —Dominique Fluker, Essence, 30 July 2025

Some methods, such as adding loose fill perlite inside the cavities in a CMU block wall, are inexpensive. —Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025

This Week’s Issue American cavities, Mexican fillings Burkhard Bilger on crossing the border for dental care. —Ian Crouch, New Yorker, 28 July 2025

The recovery of aspens in Yellowstone will likely benefit other species, too, including birds such as woodpeckers and tree swallows, which make cavity nests in aspen trunks. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French cavité, borrowed from Late Latin cavitāt-, cavitās, from Latin cavus "hollow, concave" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at hole entry 1

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cavity

• abdominal cavity
• body cavity
• pelvic cavity
• segmentation cavity
• spinal cavity
• thoracic cavity

Rhymes for cavity

• gravity
• concavity
• depravity
• intracavity
• microgravity
• supergravity

Kids Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: a hollow place

especially : an unfilled bodily space

lung cavity

2

: a hole hollowed out in a tooth by decay

Medical Definition

cavity

noun

cav·​i·​ty ˈkav-ət-ē 

plural cavities

1

: an unfilled space within a mass

2

: an area of decay in a tooth : caries