Architecture: English Vocabulary List

the study or art of building and designing houses

"She studies architecture."

"The stunning architecture of the ancient Roman buildings is still admired today."

relating to the study or art of constructing or designing a building

"The style is architectural."

"The museum showcases a stunning collection of architectural drawings and models from renowned designers."

a gray powdery substance that becomes hard if it is mixed with water and sand, used for construction purposes such as sticking bricks of a wall together

"The cement dried fast."

"The workers mixed cement with sand and water to create concrete for the building's foundation."

wood that has been cut into specific pieces to be used for building purposes

"Buy lumber wood."

"We need to buy more lumber wood to finish building the new wooden house next month."

a structure consisting of metal poles with wooden planks on them that are put against a building so that workers can climb it or stand on it while constructing the building

"Build strong scaffolding."

"Workers build strong scaffolding around the building before starting repair work on the upper floors."

to make a building or a place look good again by repairing or painting it

"They renovate their kitchen this year."

"The young couple spent nearly six months renovating their old house before they could finally move into it."

a heavy metal ball hanging from a crane that is struck against a building to destroy it

"Use wrecking ball."

"The company used a large wrecking ball to demolish the old building safely last week."

a large, powerful vehicle with a wide steel blade at its front that is used to destroy buildings or move earth

"Heavy bulldozer cleared."

"The heavy bulldozer cleared the land quickly for the new construction project last month."

the front of a building, particularly one that is large and has an elegant appearance

"The facade of the old church is beautiful."

"A facade is the front exterior face of a building"

an apartment on top of a tall building

"The penthouse is luxurious."

"They stayed in a penthouse with a city view."

a flat paved area, particularly one next to a building or restaurant, where people can sit, eat, relax, etc.

"We ate lunch on the sunny terrace."

"The hotel room had a small terrace overlooking the ocean where guests could watch the sunset."

a hut, shelter, or cabin, usually at a swimming pool or beach

"We relaxed by the cabana."

"The resort guests relaxed in their private cabana by the pool ordering drinks from waiters."

a small roofed building with open sides, usually in a garden

"We sat in the gazebo."

"The white gazebo stood in the middle of the garden."

an arch-covered passage along the side of a group of buildings

"Walk through the arcade."

"The shopping arcade has many small stores and restaurants inside the modern building every day."

(of a novel, etc.) written or made in a spooky and mysterious way and often focus on creepy places like old castles or haunted houses, with themes of darkness and the supernatural

"The novel was Gothic."

"The Gothic novel created a chilling atmosphere with its ancient castle and supernatural occurrences."

an ornate and grand style of art, music, and architecture present in the 17th and early 18th centuries in Europe

"Baroque art has dramatic details and movement."

"Baroque is a highly ornate artistic style that flourished in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century"

denoting or relating to Queen Victoria or her reign from 1837 to 1901

"The house is Victorian."

"The Victorian house has a wraparound porch and many decorative details from the nineteenth century."

a mixture, typically of sand, lime, or cement, used to bond masonry units together or to coat walls

"The bricks need mortar."

"A strong mortar mixture is essential for bonding the bricks together securely in the foundation of the wall."

a material with a soft texture that is a combination of sand, water, and lime which is used to cover walls and ceilings to smooth their surface

"Apply plaster wall."

"The worker will apply plaster on the wall to make it smooth and ready for painting soon."

a long bar of iron or metal that supports the weight of a building

"The beam held the roof."

"A strong beam supported the ceiling in the old building."

to strengthen a substance or structure, particularly by adding extra material to it

"Reinforce the structure."

"They decided to reinforce the aging bridge with additional steel beams to improve its stability."

a hard layer of cement, stone, etc. that serves as the underground support of a building

"The foundation is strong."

"A solid concrete foundation is essential for the stability of any large building."

to build or assemble a structure or object in an upright position

"They erect a new statue in the park."

"The construction crew managed to erect the steel frame of the building in less than two weeks."

a detailed technical or architectural plan showing dimensions, materials, and specifications for construction or production

"See the blueprint."

"The architect presented a detailed blueprint for the new skyscraper, outlining every structural element."

(of a building) to fall apart

"The walls crumble."

"After years of neglect and harsh weather, the ancient castle walls began to crumble into dust."

to completely destroy or to knock down a building or another structure

"Workers demolish the unsafe old building."

"The city council decided to demolish the old abandoned factory to make room for a new public park."

the skilled trade or craft of working with stone, bricks, or other masonry materials to construct buildings, walls, or other structures

"Stone masonry skill."

"Traditional stone masonry requires great skill and experience to build strong walls."

a curved symmetrical structure that supports the weight above it, used in bridges or buildings

"The arch is strong."

"The elegant arch gracefully spanned the river, a testament to ingenious engineering."

a building's roof that is rounded

"The glittering dome of the cathedral can be seen for miles."

"The massive dome of the ancient temple was covered in beautiful golden tiles."

a private room that is mostly used as bedroom

"Go to your chamber."

"The king retired to his private chamber to contemplate the important decisions he had to make."

a single dwelling unit within a condominium complex

"Buy a condominium."

"They decided to purchase a spacious condominium in a vibrant urban neighborhood close to all amenities."

a large building or hall where people are gathered to attend a concert, public speech, play, etc.

"Large school auditorium."

"The conference was held in a large auditorium that could seat more than one thousand people comfortably."

an open building that is round or oval in shape and has a space in the middle surrounded by several seats, originated in ancient Roman and Greek architecture used for public entertainments such as sports or drama

"The amphitheater was large."

"Thousands gathered in the magnificent amphitheater to witness the spectacular gladiatorial contests and theatrical performances."

(of buildings) having many floors

"The apartment is in a high-rise building."

"The apartment is in a high rise building on the thirtieth floor with a great view."

(architecture) used to describe the building style prevalent in Western Europe in the 12th-16th centuries, whose characteristics are high ceilings, tall pillars, pointed windows and arches that are mostly made of stone

"The building is gothic."

"The cathedral's soaring spires and intricate stonework were classic examples of the impressive gothic architectural style."

relating to the highly ornate and expressive style of European art, architecture, and music that flourished from about 1600 to 1750

"The painting is baroque."

"The opulent palace featured dramatic contrasts and elaborate ornamentation characteristic of the flamboyant baroque period."

reflecting the style of architecture or decoration typical in 18th-century America under British influence

"It is colonial style."

"The historic home showcased classic colonial architecture with its symmetrical facade and dormer windows."