dome

dome — noun

1. a curved, round roof that sits on top of a building, often shaped like the top h

1.nounB1
Definition

a curved, round roof that sits on top of a building, often shaped like the top half of a ball; a building that has this kind of roof.

Example

The golden dome of the cathedral could be seen from miles away.

the dome of [building] — typical noun phrase

Visitors admired the painted scenes inside the mosque's main dome.

Common collocations
  • glass dome
  • golden dome
  • main dome
  • dome of the church
  • dome of the building
Synonyms
  • cupola

    a smaller dome on top of a roof or tower; more technical in architecture

Grammar Patterns

the dome of [building]

a dome + noun (domed roof)

Usage Note

Often used with a material adjective (glass dome, marble dome, copper dome) or with 'of' (the dome of the church, the dome of the building).

Common Mistakes

The dome roof of the church was round.
The dome of the church was round.
A dome IS the roof; you don't need to say 'dome roof'.

2. any object or natural feature that has a round, curved shape, like the top half

2.nounB1
Definition

any object or natural feature that has a round, curved shape, like the top half of a ball — for example, a rounded hill, the top of someone's head, or the cap of a mushroom.

Example

From the plane we could see the granite dome of the mountain rising above the clouds.

the dome of [landform] — geographical usage

Obi's grandfather had a shiny bald dome with only a few grey hairs around the sides.

bald dome — informal, referring to a person's head

Common collocations
  • bald dome
  • rock dome
  • dome of the hill
  • snow dome
  • granite dome
Synonyms
  • bulge

    a less regular, outward curve; not as perfectly round as a dome

  • mound

    a small hill or pile, usually of earth or soft material; wider and lower than a dome

Grammar Patterns

the dome of [body part]

a dome of [material]

Usage Note

When referring to a person's head, 'bald dome' is informal and often humorous or gently teasing. The head sense is a metaphorical extension — avoid it in formal writing.

3. a big covered sports venue with a rounded roof, built for games and other large

3.nounB2
Definition

a big covered sports venue with a rounded roof, built for games and other large events.

Example

The championship game was held at the Astrodome, the world's first indoor baseball stadium.

proper noun: [Name] Dome — typical naming pattern

Fans cheered loudly inside the dome as the home team scored the winning goal.

Common collocations
  • indoor dome
  • the Superdome
  • dome stadium
  • play at a dome
Synonyms
  • indoor stadium

    more general term for any covered stadium, not necessarily with a rounded roof

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the [name] Dome

play at a dome

Usage Note

Many famous domes have 'Dome' as part of their official name (Superdome, Astrodome, Tokyo Dome). In British English, 'indoor stadium' is more common than 'dome' for this sense.

dome — verb

Word family

  • domed
    adjectiveB1
  • dome-shaped
    adjectiveB1
  • domical
    adjectiveC2
  • domelike
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe curved coverings, but they differ in shape and use. A 'dome' is a round, hemispherical roof that sits on a circular base — think of St. Peter's Basilica or the Taj Mahal. A 'cupola' is a smaller dome-like structure on top of a roof or tower, often used for light or ventilation; it is a type of dome but much smaller. A 'vault' is an arched ceiling or roof that extends in a long curve, like the ceiling of a tunnel or corridor — it is cylindrical rather than round. A 'canopy' is any overhead covering, often decorative or protective, and does not need to be curved at all. For example: 'The marble dome of the temple gleamed in the sunlight' contrasts with 'The vaulted hall ran the length of the palace' and 'A silk canopy shaded the throne.' Learners should use 'dome' for the specific round, ball-like shape; 'vault' for long arched ceilings; and 'cupola' when referring to a small rooftop structure.

dome ↗cupolavault ↗canopy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • dome roof
  • dome structure
  • dome shape
  • dome ceiling

Adverbs

  • smoothly domed
  • gently domed
  • perfectly domed

Phrases

  • under a dome
  • topped with a dome
  • shaped like a dome

Prepositions

  • dome over
  • dome of
  • dome with

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'dome' entered English from French 'dôme', which originally meant 'a cathedral' (because cathedrals often had large domed roofs). The French word came from Italian 'duomo', meaning 'cathedral', which in turn came from Latin 'domus', meaning 'house' or 'home'. In the 1600s, English speakers began using 'dome' to describe the rounded roof itself, rather than the whole building. The Latin root 'domus' is also the source of words like 'domestic' and 'domain'.