cornucopia

noun

cor·​nu·​co·​pia ˌkȯr-nə-ˈkō-pē-ə 

-nyə-ˈkō-

1

: a curved, hollow goat's horn or similarly shaped receptacle (such as a horn-shaped basket) that is overflowing especially with fruit and vegetables (such as gourds, ears of corn, apples, and grapes) and that is used as a decorative motif emblematic of abundance

called also horn of plenty

2

: an inexhaustible store : abundance

We marveled at the cornucopia of fruits, meats, toys, fresh fish, baskets, utensils and leather goods for sale in stalls that lined the streets for as far as we could see.

—Guy Garcia

For contemporary performers, soul represents a cornucopia of musical ideas.

—Jon Pareles

3

: a receptacle shaped like a horn or cone

cornucopian

ˌkȯr-nə-ˈkō-pē-ən 

-nyə-ˈkō-

adjective

Illustration of cornucopia

• cornucopia a

Did you know?

Cornucopia Has Latin Origins and Greek History

Cornucopia comes from the Late Latin cornu copiae, which translates literally as “horn of plenty.” A traditional staple of feasts, the cornucopia is believed to represent the horn of a goat from Greek mythology. According to legend, it was from this horn, which could be filled with whatever the owner wished, that the god Zeus was fed as an infant by his nurse, the nymph Amalthaea. Later, the horn was filled with flowers and fruits, and given as a present to Zeus. The filled horn (or a receptacle resembling it) has long served as a traditional symbol in art and decoration to suggest a store of abundance. The word first appeared in English in the early 16th century; a century later, it developed the figurative sense of “an overflowing supply.”

Synonyms

• argosy
• gold mine
• mine
• mother lode
• treasure trove
• wellspring

Examples of cornucopia in a Sentence

The market is a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables.

The book includes a cornucopia of wonderful stories.

Recent Examples on the Web

These and a cornucopia of other exotic flora are available through San Marcos Growers (smgrowrs.com), a Santa Barbara nursery that will be closing at the end of this year. —Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 1 Apr. 2025

The Rogue Valley region is great to visit anytime of year but spring through fall offers a cornucopia of fresh produce, fruit and other seasonal products. —Ben Davidson, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a cornucopia of superhero and villain tales spanning multiple timelines. —Grace Dean, Space.com, 21 Mar. 2025

But Alaska was no cornucopia, and hungry Russia cast its eyes south, to verdant California. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Latin cornu copiae horn of plenty

First Known Use

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cornucopia

• atropia
• cecropia
• diplopia
• dystopia
• myopia
• utopia
• amblyopia
• hyperopia
• hypermetropia

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

cornucopia

noun

cor·​nu·​co·​pia ˌkȯr-n(y)ə-ˈkō-pē-ə 

1

: a horn-shaped container overflowing with fruits and flowers used as a symbol of plenty

2

: a container shaped like a horn or a cone