noun

cavern

KAV-uhn

Cavern (noun) means a large cave, especially one with a spacious underground chamber. Example: “Tourists were led through a vast, echoing cavern lit by lanterns.”

noun

A large cave, especially one with a spacious underground chamber.

"Tourists were led through a vast, echoing cavern lit by lanterns."

Any large, dark, hollow space.

"The abandoned warehouse felt like a cold, empty cavern."

How to use cavern

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA big cave or cave-like hollow space, usually underground.

Common mistake

"Cavern" implies something larger and more dramatic than an everyday "cave."

Easily confused with

cave →

Word forms

caverned past tense, caverns plural, caverns singular

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Tourists were led through a vast, echoing _____ lit by lanterns.

Etymology

From Old French caverne, from Latin caverna ("cavity, cave"), from cavus ("hollow").

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for cavern

tavern

See all rhymes for cavern →

Frequently asked questions

What does “cavern” mean?

The word “cavern” means a large cave, especially one with a spacious underground chamber. In plain terms, a big cave or cave-like hollow space, usually underground.

How do you pronounce “cavern”?

“Cavern” is pronounced KAV-uhn (/ˈkæv.ɚn/ in IPA).

How do you use “cavern” in a sentence?

Here is “cavern” used in a sentence: “Tourists were led through a vast, echoing cavern lit by lanterns.”

What part of speech is “cavern”?

“Cavern” is a noun.

Where does the word “cavern” come from?

The word “cavern” comes from Latin. From Old French caverne, from Latin caverna ("cavity, cave"), from cavus ("hollow").

How many meanings does “cavern” have?

“Cavern” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large cave, especially one with a spacious underground chamber.