geodesic dome

American  

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 British  

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 Scientific  

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

---

Etymology

Origin of geodesic dome

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

geodesic dome

The 60-foot geodesic dome provided a place for people to cool down and take in breakbeats, dubstep and, eventually, other electronic subgenres.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026

“Biosphere,” a honed yet heartfelt two-person dramedy by the first-time feature director Mel Eslyn, takes place in a geodesic dome under a black sky.

From New York Times ● Jul. 6, 2023

This horror show resembles something you might see in a David Cronenberg film, or perhaps a geodesic dome one would spot at Burning Man.

From Salon ● Apr. 30, 2023

Fuller’s favorite example of ephemeralization was the geodesic dome.

From Slate ● Dec. 26, 2022

I told him, “Richard Buckminster Fuller was a scientist, philosopher, and inventor who is most famous for designing the geodesic dome, whose most famous version is the Buckyball. He died in 1983, I think.”

From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer