Cave (kāv), n. [F. cave, L. cavus hollow, whence cavea cavity. Cf. Cage.] 1. A hollow place in the earth, either natural or artificial; a subterraneous cavity; a cavern; a den.
2. Any hollow place, or part; a cavity. “The cave of the ear.” Bacon.
Cave bear(Zoöl.), a very large fossil bear (Ursus spelæus) similar to the grizzly bear, but large; common in European caves. — Cave dweller, a savage of prehistoric times whose dwelling place was a cave. Tylor. — Cave hyena(Zoöl.), a fossil hyena found abundanty in British caves, now usually regarded as a large variety of the living African spotted hyena. — Cave lion(Zoöl.), a fossil lion found in the caves of Europe, believed to be a large variety of the African lion. — Bone cave. See under Bone.