igloo

noun

ig·​loo ˈi-(ˌ)glü 

plural igloos

1

: a usually dome-shaped dwelling of arctic regions that is usually made of blocks of snow or ice when built for temporary purposes or of sod, wood, or stone when permanent and that is typically associated with the indigenous Inuit, Inupiat, and Yupik peoples of Canada, Greenland, Alaska, and eastern Siberia

2

: a building or structure shaped like a dome

Illustration of igloo

• igloo 1

Examples of igloo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Take your friends and dine in an igloo featuring holiday music, festive games and a dedicated server. —Nicole Cobler, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024

In addition to the 7th Annual Gingerbread Competition, Mustard Seed Hill guests can celebrate by enjoying this year’s new activities including holiday home tours, Christmas igloos, and horse carriage rides. —Kirby Adams, The Courier-Journal, 8 Nov. 2024

Check out our guide to holiday pop-up bars and igloos. —Karri Peifer, Axios, 24 Nov. 2024

No two listings are the same in design or layout, there are listings in every corner of a city, and many aren’t just apartments or houses but castles and igloos. —IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2015

Word History

Etymology

Inuit iglu house

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

igloo

noun

ig·​loo ˈig-lü 

plural igloos

: an Inuit house usually made of wood, sod, or stone when permanent or of blocks of snow or ice in the form of a dome when built for temporary use