abundant

abundant — adjective

1. present in very large amounts, so there is plenty available rather than too litt

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

present in very large amounts, so there is plenty available rather than too little.

Example

Wild flowers were abundant along the mountain road after the spring rain.

abundant + place description

Fresh mangoes are abundant in Tainan markets during the summer months.

be abundant in + place

Common collocations
  • abundant wildlife
  • abundant water
  • abundant evidence
  • abundant resources
  • abundant supply
Synonyms
  • plentiful

    very close in meaning and slightly more everyday in tone

  • ample

    stresses that the amount is fully enough, often with some extra

  • copious

    more formal; often used for writing, notes, tears, or data

  • rich

    best for places or sources that naturally contain a lot of something

Antonyms
  • scarce

    means hard to find because there is not much available

  • limited

    stresses a restricted amount rather than a rich supply

  • sparse

    used especially when things are thinly spread across an area

Grammar Patterns

be abundant in something

abundant + noun

Usage Note

Often followed by 'in' when you name what exists in large amounts: abundant in fish, fruit, or detail. Before a noun, it is common with food, wildlife, water, evidence, and other things that can exist in a rich supply.

Common Mistakes

The valley is abundant of fresh water.
The valley is abundant in fresh water.
after 'abundant', use 'in', not 'of', to name what is present in large amounts.
She bought an abundant apple at the shop.
She bought a large apple at the shop.
'abundant' describes a lot of something, not the size of one single item.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Abundant', 'plentiful', 'ample', 'copious', and 'rich' all suggest having a lot, but they point in slightly different directions. 'Abundant' is broad and works for plants, wildlife, food, money, or evidence. 'Plentiful' is close, but it sounds a little more everyday and often appears with things people can easily count or gather, such as apples or seats. 'Ample' stresses that the amount is enough, often with extra room to spare: ample time, ample space. 'Copious' is more formal and often describes something that flows or is produced in large quantities, such as notes, tears, or data. 'Rich' is best when a place naturally contains a lot of something valuable: rich soil, rich mineral land. You can have abundant flowers, ample time, copious notes, and rich farmland.

abundant ↗plentiful ↗ample ↗copiousrich ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • abundant wildlife
  • abundant evidence
  • abundant resources
  • abundant water
  • abundant supply

Adverbs

  • especially abundant
  • remarkably abundant
  • surprisingly abundant
  • relatively abundant

Phrases

  • be abundant in
  • remain abundant
  • become abundant

Prepositions

  • abundant in

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word came into English from Old French and earlier Latin. Its Latin source is 'abundare', which meant 'to overflow' or 'to be very full'. That history still fits the modern meaning: when something is abundant, there is so much of it that it seems to spill beyond what is needed.