architecture

[ ahr-ki-tek-cher ]

noun

1. the profession of designing buildings, open areas, communities, and other artificial constructions and environments, usually with some regard to aesthetic effect. Architecture often includes design or selection of furnishings and decorations, supervision of construction work, and the examination, restoration, or remodeling of existing buildings.
2. the character or style of building:

   the architecture of Paris; Romanesque architecture.

3. the action or process of building; construction.
4. the result or product of architectural work, as a building.
5. buildings collectively.
6. Computers. a fundamental underlying design of computer hardware, software, or both.
7. the structure of anything:

   the architecture of a novel.

architecture

/ ˈɑːkɪˌtɛktʃə /

noun

1. the art and science of designing and superintending the erection of buildings and similar structures
2. a style of building or structure

   Gothic architecture

3. buildings or structures collectively
4. the structure or design of anything

   the architecture of the universe

5. the internal organization of a computer's components with particular reference to the way in which data is transmitted
6. the arrangement of the various devices in a complete computer system or network

Derived Forms

• ˌarchiˈtectural, adjective
• ˌarchiˈtecturally, adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of architecture¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French, from Latin architectūra; architect, -ure

Example Sentences

Archaeology studies the human past through the excavation of things people made and used thousands of years ago -- from architecture to objects like pottery bowls and animal bones from meals.

From Science Daily

The vast majority of deep learning architectures operate on the spatial domain.

From Science Daily

“They saw very complex stratified societies with monumental architecture and public works, but all without so-called agriculture,” she says, which they cited as a justification for colonizing “unused” lands.

From Science Magazine

On a computer screen, the dinosaur’s internal architecture is put back together for the first time in millennia.

From Los Angeles Times

“I remember bonding over the architecture of this old Public Storage facility,” Cat Whalen said of meeting her husband in 2016.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• building
• construction
• engineering
• planning