French word

caverne

Pronunciation

IPA/kavɛʁn/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncave

Example

Entrons dans la caverne.

Let's go into the cave.

Illustration for caverne (cave)

More examples

Il fait frais au fond de la caverne.

It is cool deep inside the cave.

Core concept

A large, hollow space underground, enclosed by rock and often filled with darkness.

Common phrases

  • sortir de la caverne

    come out of the cave

  • l'entrée de la caverne

    the entrance to the cave

  • au fond de la caverne

    deep inside the cave

Similar words

grotte: A natural underground space that may be open to visitors.
cave: An underground room beneath a building used for storage.
tunnel: A long passage dug through a mountain or underground for people or vehicles.

Definition in French

Espace souterrain naturel, assez vaste et creux, souvent obscur.

Word origin

French caverne comes from Latin caverna, meaning a hollow or cavity, from cavus, meaning hollow or concave.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary French, grotte is often the more neutral word for a cave, while caverne can sound larger, darker, or more evocative.

Opposites

Word lists with this word