cavernous
UK: ˈkævənəs | US: ˈkævərnəs
adj. resembling a cavern in size or darkness
adj. (anatomy) containing hollow spaces
adj. (figurative) vast, empty, or echoing
Derived from Latin caverna (a hollow or cave), combined with the English suffix -ous (meaning "full of" or "having the quality of"). The word cavern itself traces back to cavus (Latin for "hollow"), reflecting the concept of emptiness or vastness. Over time, cavernous expanded beyond literal caves to describe anything with similar depth or emptiness, including anatomical structures or metaphorical voids.
The abandoned warehouse had a cavernous interior, echoing with every footstep.
The MRI revealed a cavernous sinus in the patient’s skull.
His voice sounded cavernous in the empty auditorium.
The cave’s cavernous chambers were filled with stalactites.
She felt a cavernous loneliness after her friends left.