dome

American  

[dohm] / doʊm /

noun

domes plural

1. Architecture.

   1. a vault, having a circular plan and usually in the form of a portion of a sphere, so constructed as to exert an equal thrust in all directions.

   2. a domical roof or ceiling.

   3. a polygonal vault, ceiling, or roof.

2. any covering thought to resemble the hemispherical vault of a building or room.

   the great dome of the sky.

3. anything shaped like a hemisphere or inverted bowl.

4. (in a dam) a semidome having its convex surface toward the impounded water.

5. Crystallography. a form having planes that intersect the vertical axis and are parallel to one of the lateral axes.

6. Geology. upwarp.

7. Also called vistadome.  Railroads. a raised, glass-enclosed section of the roof of a passenger car, placed over an elevated section of seats to afford passengers a full view of scenery.

8. Horology. an inner cover for the works of a watch, which snaps into the rim of the case.

9. a mountain peak having a rounded summit.

10. Slang. a person's head.

    I wish I could get the idea into that thick dome of yours.

---

verb (used with object)

domes, present (3rd person singular) domed, past participle, past doming present participle

1. to cover with or as if with a dome.

2. to shape like a dome.

verb (used without object)

domes, present (3rd person singular) domed, past participle, past doming present participle

1. to rise or swell as a dome.

dome British  

/ dəʊm, ˈdəʊmɪkəl, ˈdɒm- /

noun

1. a hemispherical roof or vault or a structure of similar form

2. something shaped like this

3. crystallog a crystal form in which two planes intersect along an edge parallel to a lateral axis

4. a slang word for the head

5. geology

   1. a structure in which rock layers slope away in all directions from a central point

   2. another name for pericline

---

verb

1. to cover with or as if with a dome

2. to shape like a dome

dome Scientific  

/ dōm /

1. A circular or elliptical area of uplifted rock in which the rock dips gently away, in all directions, from a central point.

2. A wedge-shaped mineral crystal that has two nonparallel, similarly inclined faces that intersect along a plane of symmetry.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• domelike
  adjective
• domical
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• domes
  plural

Participles

• doming
  present
• domed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dome
  simple
• domes
  simple
• have domed
  perfect
• has domed
  perfect
• am doming
  progressive
• are doming
  progressive
• is doming
  progressive
• have been doming
  perfect progressive
• has been doming
  perfect progressive

Past

• domed
  simple
• had domed
  perfect
• was doming
  progressive
• were doming
  progressive
• had been doming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dome
  simple
• will have domed
  perfect
• will be doming
  progressive
• will have been doming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dome

1505–15; < Middle French dome < Italian duomo < Medieval Latin domus ( Deī ) house (of God), church; akin to timber

Explanation

A dome is a large hemispherical roof, like those seen on many capitol buildings. The Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem, is a Muslim shrine with a golden dome that sits on a holy rock. In Italian, duomo is the word for church or cathedral; it comes from the Latin domus, "house." Many Italian cathedrals feature prominent domes, and eventually the word dome became synonymous with that particular architectural feature. An umbrella works because its dome shape sheds the rain efficiently.

Example Sentences

"Killer heat warnings" reads the Metro's headline, as Western Europe's "heat dome" covering Italy, Spain and France radiates across the English Channel.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026

According to a Reddit user, a group of friends was dragged down by the current at the top of Nevada Fall, which is located below the granite dome, known as Liberty Cap.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 23, 2026

This can create a "heat dome" that traps hot air underneath, which is what Europe has been experiencing this week.

From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026

Jefferson still had his nose in his books—his dome is based on Palladio’s reconstruction of the Roman temple of Vesta—but he transformed his source material, much as Shakespeare did, to serve his own purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Because now, in the shafts of sunlight streaming through the arched windows at the base of the dome, Kyle could see cables hooked to a harness under Mr. Lemoncello’s wings.

From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein