igloo

/ˈɪglu/

/ˈɪglu/

Other forms: igloos

An igloo is a type of hut built from snow, mainly by Inuits. An igloo has a domed shape and is made of compacted bricks of snow.

Igloos, which are entirely built of snow blocks, have mostly been constructed by the Inuit tribes that live in parts of Canada and Greenland. Other Inuit groups have used snow, instead, to insulate homes made from other materials. Some igloos are built for temporary shelter, while others are permanent, warm housing in very cold climates. The noun igloo comes from an Inuit word, iglu, which means simply "house," no matter what it's constructed from.

Definitions of igloo

1. noun

   an Inuit hut; usually built of blocks (of sod or snow) in the shape of a dome
   synonyms: iglu

   type of:

   hovel, hut, hutch, shack, shanty

   small crude shelter used as a dwelling