architecture

ar·chi·tec·ture

noun \ˈär-kə-ˌtek-chər\

Definition of ARCHITECTURE

1

: the art or science of building; specifically : the art or practice of designing and building structures and especially habitable ones

2

a : formation or construction resulting from or as if from a conscious act <the architecture of the garden>

b : a unifying or coherent form or structure <the novel lacks architecture>

3

: architectural product or work

4

: a method or style of building

5

: the manner in which the components of a computer or computer system are organized and integrated

Examples of ARCHITECTURE

1. In college, he studied architecture.
2. The architecture of the building is modern.

First Known Use of ARCHITECTURE

1555

Related to ARCHITECTURE

Synonyms

frame, armature, cadre, configuration, edifice, fabric, framework, framing, infrastructure, shell, skeleton, structure

Related Words

cage, lattice, network; contour, figure, outline, profile, shape, silhouette; chassis

Other Architecture Terms

buttress, casita, cornice, fanlight, garret, lintel, parapet, pilaster, plinth

Rhymes with ARCHITECTURE

curtain lecture

ar·chi·tec·ture

noun \ˈär-kə-ˌtek-chər\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ARCHITECTURE

: the basic structural form especially of a bodily part or of a large molecule <the architecture and function of the cerebral cortex> <the complex molecular architecture of muscle cells—Carolyn Cohen>

—ar·chi·tec·tur·al \ˌär-kə-ˈtek-chə-rəl, -ˈtek-shrəl\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

—ar·chi·tec·tur·al·ly \-ē\ (audio pronunciation) adverb

architecture

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. The practice of architecture emphasizes spatial relationships, orientation, the support of activities to be carried out within a designed environment, and the arrangement and visual rhythm of structural elements, as opposed to the design of structural systems themselves (see civil engineering). Appropriateness, uniqueness, a sensitive and innovative response to functional requirements, and a sense of place within its surrounding physical and social context distinguish a built environment as representative of a culture's architecture. See also building construction.