rotunda

noun

ro·​tun·​da rō-ˈtən-də How to pronounce rotunda (audio)
1
: a round building
especially : one covered by a dome
2
a
: a large round room
b
: a large central area (as in a hotel)

Examples of rotunda in a Sentence

We stood inside the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Recent Examples on the Web Jil Sander continued its pursuit of organic and rounded silhouettes that cocoon the body, which was presented in a rotunda enclosed by curved screens that exhibited the quiet beauty of the alpine peaks. Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 20 Oct. 2024 The playful relaxation begins by making a wish at the wishing well in the grand bronze rotunda. Paula Conway, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 But the little rotunda that's there is only to district residents. Faith Salie, CBS News, 1 Sep. 2024 Think of the Capitol rotunda in Washington, D.C., the Roman Coliseum in Italy, and the Guangzhou Circle in China. Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rotunda 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rotunda.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian rotonda, from Latin rotunda, feminine of rotundus

First Known Use

circa 1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rotunda was circa 1566

Dictionary Entries Near rotunda

Cite this Entry

“Rotunda.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rotunda. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rotunda

noun
ro·​tun·​da rō-ˈtən-də How to pronounce rotunda (audio)
1
: a round building
especially : one covered by a dome
2
a
: a large round room
b
: a large central area (as in a hotel)

Medical Definition

rotunda

More from Merriam-Webster on rotunda

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