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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
Guy GarciaFor contemporary performers, soul represents a cornucopia of musical ideas.—Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles3
: a receptacle shaped like a horn or cone
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.”
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
The songs are often a cornucopia of staccato güiras and digital reggaeton drums waltzing through dancehall, dubstep, and bachata in the 3-minute run of an average pop song.
—Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025
The film is a marvel, with a cornucopia of inventive gags and a story that captures the heartbreak and hilarity of growing up.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 June 2025
For three decades now, this quartet of college pals have produced an impressive body of work that is eminently hummable, a cornucopia of earworms that everyone knows even if most folks would fail to come up with the names of their songs.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The snowpack would provide constant runoff for rivers and streams and lakes, a riparian cornucopia ensuring only the mildest wildfires would ever come for our arboreal paradise.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornucopia
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Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2025
The film is a marvel, with a cornucopia of inventive gags and a story that captures the heartbreak and hilarity of growing up.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 26 June 2025
For three decades now, this quartet of college pals have produced an impressive body of work that is eminently hummable, a cornucopia of earworms that everyone knows even if most folks would fail to come up with the names of their songs.
—Marco Della Cava, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The snowpack would provide constant runoff for rivers and streams and lakes, a riparian cornucopia ensuring only the mildest wildfires would ever come for our arboreal paradise.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cornucopia
Cite this Entry
“Cornucopia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornucopia. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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