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.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Buongiorno, Ciao or Salve? Italian Greetings Made Easy

When in doubt, say salve and mirror the reply. Here's how to pick between buongiorno, buonasera, ciao and salve so your Italian greetings never sound rude.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Days & Months in Italian: A Beginner's Guide

Days of the week in Italian are lowercase, all masculine except la domenica, and il lunedì means every Monday. Learn the days, months, dates, and seasons.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Present Tense: -are, -ere, -ire Verbs

Conjugate Italian present-tense verbs fast: one color-coded chart for -are, -ere, and -ire endings, plus the sneaky -isc- group most guides bury.

June 5, 2026 6 min read