abundance

[ uh-buhn-duhns ]

noun

1. an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply:

   an abundance of grain.

   Synonyms: plenteousness, copiousness

   Antonyms: scarcity

2. overflowing fullness:

   abundance of the heart.

   Synonyms: generosity

3. affluence; wealth:

   the enjoyment of abundance.

4. 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.

abundance

/ əˈbʌndəns /

noun

1. a copious supply; great amount
2. fullness or benevolence

   from the abundance of my heart

3. degree of plentifulness
4. 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
5. 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

6. Also calledabondance a call in solo whist undertaking to make nine tricks
7. affluence

Other Words From

• pre·a·bun·dance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of abundance¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin abundantia. See abundant, -ance

Word History and Origins

Origin of abundance¹

C14: via Old French from Latin abundantia, from abundāre to abound

Synonym Study

See plenty.

Example Sentences

Some said they sold their homes and relocated out of an abundance of caution.

From Los Angeles Times

Forest rangers are concerned about forests that haven’t burned in decades, which contain an abundance of downed wood waiting to go up in flames.

From Slate

In Milwaukee, the biggest city in the swing state of Wisconsin, elections officials made a decision to re-run around 30,000 ballots out of an “abundance of caution”, after doors on the back of voting machines were left open.

From BBC

More than 30,000 absentee ballots that that the state had to count will have to be recounted “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the Milwaukee Election Commission, because the doors on the ballot tabulators were not properly sealed.

From Slate

Stefanovic didn’t need to play a starring role given the abundance of talent around him.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affluence
• bounty
• myriad
• plenty
• plethora
• profusion
• prosperity
• riches
• wealth