cavern
[ kav-ern ]
/ ˈkæv ərn /
noun
a cave, especially one that is large and mostly underground.
Pathology.
a cavity that is produced by disease, especially one produced in the lungs by tuberculosis.
verb (used with object)
to enclose in or as if in a cavern.
to hollow out to form a cavern.
Origin of cavern
1325–75; Middle English
caverne < Latin
caverna, equivalent to
cav(us) hollow +
-erna, as in
cisterna
cistern
Words nearby cavern
caveman,
cavendish,
cavendish experiment,
caveola,
caver,
cavern,
caverna,
cavernicolous,
caverniloquy,
cavernitis,
cavernostomy
Example sentences from the Web for cavern
British Dictionary definitions for cavern
cavern
/ (ˈkævən) /
noun
a cave, esp when large and formed by underground water, or a large chamber in a cave
verb (tr)
to shut in or as if in a cavern
to hollow out
Word Origin for cavern
C14: from Old French
caverne, from Latin
caverna, from
cavus hollow; see
cave
1
Scientific definitions for cavern
cavern
[ kăv′ərn ]
A large cave.