igloo

[ ig-loo ]

noun

, plural ig·loos.

1. an Inuit house, being a dome-shaped hut usually built of blocks of hard snow.
2. Informal. any dome-shaped construction thought to resemble an igloo:

   immense silos topped with steel igloos.

3. Military. a dome-shaped building for the storage of rockets or other munitions.
4. an excavation made by a seal in the snow over its breathing hole in the ice.

igloo

/ ˈɪɡluː /

noun

1. a dome-shaped Inuit house, usually built of blocks of solid snow
2. a hollow made by a seal in the snow over its breathing hole in the ice

Word History and Origins

Origin of igloo¹

First recorded in 1855–60, igloo is from the Inuit word iglu “house”

Word History and Origins

Origin of igloo¹

C19: from Inuktitut igdlu house

Example Sentences

Once snug inside the igloos, diners and game-players have four separate menus to order from.

From Washington Blade

Someone is also going to have to enter each igloo to clean it between seatings.

From Popular-Science

Like other snow shelters, the igloo works best if it includes a cold well, a door, ventilation holes, and a sleeping platform.

From Popular-Science

A quinzheeThe quinzhee is a dome-shaped snow shelter, similar in shape to an igloo, but much easier to construct.

From Popular-Science

In addition, heated steel covers help keep hot dishes hot on their journey from kitchen to yurt or igloo, as do electric warmers atop delivery trays.

From Washington Post

The set, cleared of chew toys, now housed a plastic igloo, several blocks of ice, pompoms and smelled strongly of herring.

From The Daily Beast

In their cheerleader personas, the penguins took over the stadium, entering through the igloo.

From The Daily Beast

Walter Mondale emerged from his Twin Cities igloo to stump for reform.

From The Daily Beast

Whereupon they fell to heh-hehing afresh with cries of "Igloo, igloo!"

From Project Gutenberg

From the 25th to the 29th, Kennedy, Harrisson and Jones were employed building an igloo to be used as a magnetic observatory.

From Project Gutenberg

On the afternoon of the 30th, the magnetician invited every one to a tea-party in the igloo to celebrate the opening.

From Project Gutenberg

The outside temperature was -33 degrees F. and it was not much higher inside the igloo.

From Project Gutenberg

An igloo was built as a shelter for those sinking the geological shaft, and seal-hunting was a daily recreation.

From Project Gutenberg