cornucopia

noun

cor·​nu·​co·​pia ˌkȯr-nə-ˈkō-pē-ə How to pronounce cornucopia (audio)
-nyə-ˈkō-
1
: a curved, hollow goat's horn or similarly shaped receptacle (such as a horn-shaped basket) that is overflowing especially with fruit and vegetables (such as gourds, ears of corn, apples, and grapes) and that is used as a decorative motif emblematic of abundance

called also horn of plenty

2
: an inexhaustible store : abundance
We marveled at the cornucopia of fruits, meats, toys, fresh fish, baskets, utensils and leather goods for sale in stalls that lined the streets for as far as we could see.Guy Garcia
For contemporary performers, soul represents a cornucopia of musical ideas.Jon Pareles
3
: a receptacle shaped like a horn or cone
cornucopian adjective

Illustration of cornucopia

Illustration of cornucopia
  • cornucopia a

Did you know?

Cornucopia Has Latin Origins and Greek History

Cornucopia comes from the Late Latin cornu copiae, which translates literally as “horn of plenty.” A traditional staple of feasts, the cornucopia is believed to represent the horn of a goat from Greek mythology. According to legend, it was from this horn, which could be filled with whatever the owner wished, that the god Zeus was fed as an infant by his nurse, the nymph Amalthaea. Later, the horn was filled with flowers and fruits, and given as a present to Zeus. The filled horn (or a receptacle resembling it) has long served as a traditional symbol in art and decoration to suggest a store of abundance. The word first appeared in English in the early 16th century; a century later, it developed the figurative sense of “an overflowing supply.”

Examples of cornucopia in a Sentence

The market is a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. The book includes a cornucopia of wonderful stories.
Recent Examples on the Web Like Mexican artists Miguel Covarrubias and Alfredo Ramos Martínez, Johnson also created dynamic, abstract pictorial rhythms by composing plant life in geometric, mirror-image shapes, rather than as an organic cornucopia. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Swift, of course, has come in at No. 1 on a cornucopia of Billboard charts before this, topping the Billboard Hot 100 11 times, the Billboard 200 13 times, the Hot Country Songs chart nine times and Pop Airplay 12 times. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024 Fill the cornucopia with produce like apples, pears, berries, nuts, and more. Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023 Fall veggies, fruits, flowers, and foliage are combined to create a twist on a cornucopia. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2023 So, a herd or cornucopia of slugs (as they are collectively called) can make a smorgasbord of your garden if not kept in check. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024 Mice and voles living on the land drew foxes and migratory raptors such as kestrels and harriers, who feasted on the cornucopia each time the grass was mowed. Cara Buckley, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2023 Colorful cornucopias of tomatoes, okra, squashes, peppers, berries, and more, are ripe for the picking and combined with a noodle base to tie them all together, ready to dazzle your dinner table. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2024 And what a cornucopia of strange items are on offer: night vision sunglasses; an endoscopic camera light; a big toe straightener; and bionic leaf disguise uniform. Drew Bernstein, Forbes, 15 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cornucopia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Latin cornu copiae horn of plenty

First Known Use

1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cornucopia was in 1508

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Cite this Entry

“Cornucopia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cornucopia. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cornucopia

noun
cor·​nu·​co·​pia ˌkȯr-n(y)ə-ˈkō-pē-ə How to pronounce cornucopia (audio)
1
: a horn-shaped container overflowing with fruits and flowers used as a symbol of plenty
2
: a container shaped like a horn or a cone

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