Cornucopia

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌkɔː.njəˈkəʊ.pi.ə/

Definitions

1. A decorative horn-shaped container overflowing with fruits and flowers as a symbol of abundance ; an overflowing supply or source of something good or plentiful
2. An ornamental horn filled with produce representing wealth and bounty ; a plentiful or overflowing quantity or resource of needed items or benefits
3. A horn-shaped vessel traditionally filled with harvest goods symbolizing prosperity ; a large or generous amount of something valuable or desired

Etymology: The word comes from Latin "cornūcōpia", a compound of "cornū" (horn) and "cōpia" (abundance, plenty). The horn in question is the mythical horn of plenty, and the Latin elements meet at a much older root meaning "horn," the same ancestry that gives English "horn" itself. Latin "cōpia" is in turn built from "co-" and "ops," the latter meaning wealth, resources or help, so the compound literally pairs the image of a horn with the idea of resources gathered together. The object was once a literal thing, a horn-shaped vessel overflowing with fruit, flowers and grain, and it carried that imagery into classical myth. The sense of an overflowing supply of anything useful came later, so the word shifted from a picture of an object to a general description of abundance. It was borrowed directly into English from Latin, keeping its Latin form, and today it is used both for the ornamental horn and for any plentiful store.

Synonyms: abundance, plenty, profusion, wealth, overflow

Antonyms: scarcity, lack, dearth, insufficiency, shortage