Cornucopia
noun /ˌkɔː.njʊˈkəʊ.pi.ə/ — An abundant supply; the mythological horn of plenty.
Definition
An abundant supply of good things; in classical mythology, the horn of Amalthea — a goat's horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and grain, symbolising inexhaustible abundance. A cornucopia is not just plenty; it is endless replenishment.
Beyond the definition
The cornucopia promises that there will always be more — that the horn will not run dry. Some people are cornucopias: of ideas, of warmth, of stories. You never leave them feeling depleted.
Origin & history
Latin: 'cornu' (horn) + 'copia' (plenty). From the Greek myth of the goat Amalthea, who suckled Zeus, whose broken horn became the symbol of inexhaustible plenty.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The autumn harvest was a cornucopia — pumpkins, apples, squash, roots in every colour.
His mind was a cornucopia — ideas arriving faster than he could write them down.
The library was her cornucopia: whatever she needed to find, it was always there.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Cornucopia” when the meaning fits your context: An abundant supply of good things; in classical mythology, the horn of Amalthea — a goat's horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and grain, symbolising inexhaustible abundance. A cornucopia is not just plenty; it is endless replenishment.
Synonyms
abundance, plenty, profusion, horn of plenty
Antonyms
scarcity, dearth, famine
Related words
Cornucopia vs abundance
Cornucopia refers to a literal or symbolic container of endless, varied plenty. Abundance is a general descriptor for a large quantity of something, regardless of variety or presentation.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Teeming Vibrant Woodland Scene
A dense woodland scene shows sunlight through a thick canopy, with moss, diverse plants, and tiny insects.
The overflowing detail and diversity in the woodland represent a cornucopia—not just a single bounty, but the continuous, interconnected, and inexhaustible replenishment of life found in nature.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Cornucopia" mean?
Cornucopia is noun meaning: An abundant supply; the mythological horn of plenty.. An abundant supply of good things; in classical mythology, the horn of Amalthea — a goat's horn overflowing with flowers, fruit, and grain, symbolising inexhaustible abundance. A cornucopia is not just plenty; it is endless replenishment.
Where does the word "Cornucopia" come from?
Latin: 'cornu' (horn) + 'copia' (plenty). From the Greek myth of the goat Amalthea, who suckled Zeus, whose broken horn became the symbol of inexhaustible plenty.