igloo

noun ee-GLOO Rare

Origin: Inuktitut iglu 'house'.

Usage Note

Igloo entered French from Inuktitut via English. In French the plural is typically igloos, though igloo is also accepted for both. The word is used both literally (a snow dwelling built by Arctic peoples) and metaphorically — vivre dans un igloo jokingly describes a very cold home.

Examples

"Les explorateurs ont dormi dans un igloo cette nuit."

Natural Translation

The explorers slept in an igloo that night.

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