abundance
Americannoun
-
an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply.
an abundance of grain.
- Synonyms:
- plenteousness, copiousness
- Antonyms:
- scarcity
-
overflowing fullness.
abundance of the heart.
- Synonyms:
- generosity
-
affluence; wealth.
the enjoyment of abundance.
-
Physics, Chemistry. the number of atoms of one isotope of an element divided by the total number of atoms in a mixture of the isotopes.
noun
-
a copious supply; great amount
-
fullness or benevolence
from the abundance of my heart
-
degree of plentifulness
-
chem the extent to which an element or ion occurs in the earth's crust or some other specified environment: often expressed in parts per million or as a percentage
-
physics the ratio of the number of atoms of a specific isotope in a mixture of isotopes of an element to the total number of atoms present: often expressed as a percentage
the abundance of neon-22 in natural neon is 8.82 per cent
-
Also called: abondance. a call in solo whist undertaking to make nine tricks
-
affluence
Related Words
See plenty.
Other Word Forms
- preabundance noun
Etymology
Origin of abundance
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin abundantia. See abundant, -ance
Explanation
To have an abundance of something is to have more than you need. It's often used to describe positive qualities, such as "an abundance of love." Abundance is the opposite of scarcity. An abundance of wealth is a ton of cash. An abundance of friends sounds like a good thing, but it can get overwhelming when it comes to scheduling time to hang out or buying gifts. This noun comes to us from the mid-14th century French, via the Latin abundantia, meaning "fullness, plenty."
Vocabulary lists containing abundance
A Long Walk to Water
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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Lyndon B. Johnson on "The Great Society" (1964)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He has been buoyed up by the fact that war in the Middle East has seen countries turn to Ukraine for drone technology and expertise, both of which it can offer in abundance.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
Here are the best spots to see an abundance of colorful wildflowers in Southern California.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
The original appeal of Cajun chicken pasta is abundance — meat, cream, spice, all competing for dominance.
From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026
“Out of an abundance of caution, he agreed with his security detail’s recommendation to see a physician before the three-hour drive home,” the court said on Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
In the wild, barley is one of the 4 most abundant of the 23 species, while emmer wheat is of medium abundance.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
