rotunda
/rou'tʌndə/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A large circular room or hall, often with a high ceiling and a dome. 2. A building constructed with a circular ground plan and typically topped with a dome.
Usage
- The rotunda refers specifically to the architectural feature of a circular space, emphasizing its shape and often its grand scale. It is commonly found in important public buildings.
- When referring to a building, it describes the entire structure's circular footprint and domed roof.
Examples
- Noun:
- The museum's entrance is through a magnificent rotunda with a marble floor and a painted ceiling.
- Visitors gathered in the Capitol rotunda to view the historic painting.
- The university library is housed in a neoclassical rotunda that is a campus landmark.
Advanced Usage
- Architectural Term: In formal architectural description, a rotunda specifically denotes a circular interior space, especially one covered by a dome, that is part of a larger building complex.
- The architect designed the villa around a central rotunda that serves as the main reception area.
Variants and Related Words
- Rotund (adj): While sharing a Latin root ( meaning "round"), this adjective primarily means "rounded in figure; plump" or "full-toned" in speech, and is not directly related to architecture.
- Dome (n): A rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, often found atop a rotunda.
- Atrium (n): A large open space within a building, often with a glass roof, which can be square or rectangular, unlike a rotunda which is strictly circular.
Synonyms
- Circular hall
- Domed room
- Round building
Antonyms
- Rectangular hall
- Square chamber
- Annex (as a smaller, attached space versus a central, grand one)
Related Phrases
- In the rotunda: A phrase used to indicate location within this specific architectural space.
- The ceremony will be held in the rotunda.
Noun
- a large circular room
- a building having a circular plan and a dome