Bountiful means existing in large, generous amounts. A bountiful harvest fills the barns with more crops than the farmers expected. A bountiful supply of art materials in a classroom means there's plenty for everyone to use without worrying about running out.

The word carries a sense of abundance and generosity. It describes amounts that exceed what's needed, sometimes surprisingly so. A bountiful feast has tables overflowing with food. A bountiful rain after a drought brings relief and hope to farmers and their communities.

You'll often see bountiful used to describe nature's generosity: bountiful fruit trees laden with apples, bountiful wildflowers covering a meadow, or bountiful wildlife in a healthy ecosystem. The word suggests that something has been provided freely and generously, almost as a gift. When something is bountiful, there's a feeling of gratitude and plenty.

The related word bounty means the generous amount itself: “The garden produced a bounty of tomatoes this summer.” A bounty can also be a reward offered for capturing someone or for achieving something difficult.