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abundance

 [uh-buhn-duhns]   Example Sentences Origin

a·bun·dance

   [uh-buhn-duhns]
noun
1.
an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply: an abundance of grain.
2.
overflowing fullness: abundance of the heart.
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.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin abundantia. See abundant, -ance

Related forms
pre·a·bun·dance, noun

Can be confused: abundance, plenty, profusion (see synonym and usage notes at plenty).

Synonyms
1. copiousness, plenteousness. See plenty. 2. generosity.

Antonyms
1. scarcity.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Abundance is always a great word to know.
So is x-ray. Does it mean:
the branch of physics that deals with sound and sound waves
a form of electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength than light and capable of penetrating solids and of ionizing gases
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Example Sentences
  • However, these mangroves are important to the local fishing industry, particularly for their abundance of crabs.
  • Even though the temperature change was quite small, its effect on mosquito abundance was quite large.
  • Hard data is in abundance but closed minds are in super abundance.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
abundance (əˈbʌndəns)
 
—n
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 called: abondance a call in solo whist undertaking to make nine tricks
7.  affluence
 
[C14: via Old French from Latin abundantia, from abundāre to abound]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

abundance
mid-14c., from O.Fr. abundance (Mod.Fr. abondance), from L. abundantia "fullness," noun of state from abundans (gen. abundantis), prp. of abundare "to overflow" (see abound).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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