International Style

noun

1

: a style in European art of the 14th and early 15th centuries marked by sinuous line, rich color, and decorative surface detail

2

: a style in architecture developed in the 1920s that uses modern materials (such as steel, glass, and reinforced concrete), expresses structure directly, and eliminates nonstructural ornament

Examples of International Style in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ultimately, the Studies Building came to be composed in the International Style out of concrete, stone, wood and transite, a fireproof composite material. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026

While the pavilionlike design pays homage to International Style, the simple, unpretentious finishes recall the beach houses of yore. — Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Spain said Eaton is a key piece of the 1940s Modernist plan for the campus that guided its development and an exemplar of the International Style of design that then prevailed. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 15 Jan. 2026

Set on nearly four acres with sweeping views of the Cross River Reservoir, the 3,740-square-foot International Style residence was completed in 1980 and thoughtfully designed to integrate seamlessly with its natural setting. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for International Style

• aisle
• bile
• chyle
• file
• guile
• heil
• isle
• kyle
• mile
• pile
• rile
• smile