Mammoth Cave National Park

3.6

A national park in Kentucky with a very large cave system and an underground river

proper noun

: Parque Nacional Mammoth Cave

We visited Mammoth Cave National Park last summer and explored its fascinating underground passages.
Mammoth Cave National Park, KY

Examples

Have you ever explored Mammoth Cave National Park?
I visited Mammoth Cave National Park last summer.
Mammoth Cave National Park is home to the world's longest known cave system.
Many tourists are amazed by the biodiversity found within Mammoth Cave National Park.
Visitors to Mammoth Cave National Park can explore the longest cave system in the world.
Many school groups plan field trips to Mammoth Cave National Park to learn about geology.
The guided tour at Mammoth Cave National Park includes fascinating information about its history and formation.

Surface Forms

Mammoth Cave National Park main

Morphology

mammoth + cave + national + park

The name is fully compositional: 'mammoth' (large), 'cave' (subterranean chamber) and 'national park' (state-protected recreational area) combine to indicate a state park notable for a very large cave system. Although it is a proper name, the constituent meanings and standard English naming pattern make the overall meaning readily inferable to a B1 learner who knows the words.

Etymology

Mammoth Cave National Park gets its name from the word mammoth, meaning 'very large', because the cave system is huge and stretches for miles underground. That's why the name shows the park is famous for its long, deep caves.