dome

1 of 2

noun

ˈdōm 

1

archaic : a stately building : mansion

2

: a large hemispherical roof or ceiling

3

: a natural formation or structure that resembles the dome or cupola of a building

4

: a form of crystal composed of planes parallel to a lateral axis that meet above in a horizontal edge like a roof

5

: an upward fold in rock whose sides dip uniformly in all directions

6

: a roofed sports stadium

7

: a person's head

domal

ˈdō-məl 

adjective

dome

2 of 2

verb

domed; doming

transitive verb

1

: to cover with a dome

2

: to form into a dome

intransitive verb

: to swell upward or outward like a dome

Synonyms of dome

Noun

• head
• skull

Examples of dome in a Sentence

Noun

the dome of the Capitol building

The team's new stadium is a dome.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many of the city’s buildings, including the historic City Hall, were crafted in the style of Moorish architecture with domes, minarets and outdoor staircases. —Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026

Under the seventy-five-foot dome, Archivist Wayne Grover took formal custody of the Declaration. —Literary Hub, 13 May 2026

Verb

Often overlooked by international holidaymakers in favor of Heraklion and its archaeological clout, Grecian travellers have long been fans of Chania town’s convivial harbor, a mix of impressive Cretan, Venetian and domed Ottoman architecture, and the wider prefecture’s farmlands. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

On the exhale, draw those ribs in, back and down, allowing the diaphragm to dome up inside the rib cage. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, Italian, & Latin; French dôme dome, cathedral, from Italian duomo cathedral, from Medieval Latin domus church, from Latin, house; akin to Greek domos house, Sanskrit dam

First Known Use

Noun

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1876, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing dome

• double-dome
• heat dome
• onion dome
• pleasure dome
• salt dome

Rhymes for dome

• brome
• chrome
• comb
• combe
• crome
• foam
• gnome
• holm
• loam
• roam
• tome
• acrosome

Kids Definition

dome

1 of 2 noun

ˈdōm 

1

: a large rounded roof or ceiling shaped like half of a ball

2

: a structure or natural formation that resembles the dome of a building

rock domes

3

: a roofed sports stadium

dome

2 of 2 verb

domed; doming

1

: to cover with or as if with a dome

2

: to form into or swell upward or outward like a dome

Etymology

Noun

from French dôme "mansion, cathedral" and Italian duomo "cathedral" and Latin domus "church," from earlier Latin domus "house" — related to domestic, domicile

Medical Definition

dome

noun

ˈdōm 

: a rounded-arch element in the wave tracing in an electroencephalogram

the spike and dome pattern characteristic of absence seizures