caverna

cave

noun kah-VER-nah Rare

Origin: From Latin caverna (hollow, cave), from cavus (hollow).

Also means

cavern

Usage Note

Caverna is feminine (la caverna, pl le caverne). It typically denotes a large natural cave or cavern, while grotta is the more common everyday word for a smaller cave. Uomo delle caverne means 'caveman'. The adjective cavernoso describes a deep, echoing voice.

Examples

"Gli speleologi hanno esplorato la caverna per ore."

Natural Translation

The cavers explored the cavern for hours.

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