geodesic dome

noun

1. a light, domelike structure developed by R. Buckminster Fuller to combine the properties of the tetrahedron and the sphere and consisting essentially of a grid of compression or tension members lying upon or parallel to great circles running in three directions in any given area, the typical form being the projection upon a sphere of an icosahedron, the triangular faces of which are filled with a symmetrical triangular, hexagonal, or quadrangular grid.

geodesic dome

noun

1. a light structural framework arranged as a set of polygons in the form of a shell and covered with sheeting made of plastic, plywood, metal, etc; developed by Buckminster Fuller

geodesic dome

1. A domed or vaulted structure of straight elements that form interlocking polygons.

Word History and Origins

Origin of geodesic dome¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Her boyfriend of two years recently proposed to her in a rented geodesic dome in the mountains near their home.

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I’m also old enough to remember the craze over geodesic dome houses and A-frames, among other housing fads.

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Let them scramble over a “sort of geodesic dome,” he suggested, formed of twiggy branches “bent down into a half-bubble,” inspired by Clematis he saw grown that way in England.

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In an upstairs hallway, Phillips, who has done occasional promotional posts in exchange for Disney goods or tickets, painted a pattern reminiscent of Spaceship Earth, Epcot’s geodesic dome.

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Its distinctive geodesic dome, memorialized by Quentin Tarantino in the 2019 film “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood,” has become more retro than futuristic over the years, a reminder of a Technicolor past.

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