a half-dome, esp one used to cover a semicircular apse
semidome in American English
(ˈsɛmɪˌdoʊm)
noun
a curved ceiling or roof covering a semicircular room, bay, etc.; half dome
semidome in American English
(ˈsemiˌdoum, ˈsemai-)
noun
half a dome, esp. as formed by a vertical section, as over a semicircular apse
Derived forms
semidomed
adjective
Word origin
[1780–90; semi- + dome]This word is first recorded in the period 1780–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: alignment, classification, dynamics, fluff, oxygensemi- is a combining form borrowed from Latin, meaning “half,” freely prefixed to Englishwords of any origin, now sometimes with the senses “partially,” “incompletely,” “somewhat”.Other words that use the affix semi- include: semiautomatic, semidetached, semimonthly, semisophisticated