architecture

noun

ar·​chi·​tec·​ture ˈär-kə-ˌtek-chər 

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

a novel that lacks architecture

3

: architectural product or work

buildings that comprise the architecture of the square

4

: a method or style of building

Gothic architecture

5

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

different program architectures

Synonyms

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

Examples of architecture in a Sentence

In college, he studied architecture.

The architecture of the building is modern.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ashland, Oregon Shining Hand Ranch blends Spanish Revival and Byzantine architecture with ornately fashioned natural materials and forms. —The Week Staff, theweek, 24 Dec. 2024

In the past decade, traditional businesses shifted to cloud-native architectures, gained market differentiation and delivered enhanced customer experiences. —Rajesh Rajagopalan, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024

Lebanon is full of antiquities like the Greco-Roman ruins, Crusader castles and Ottoman architecture, but some have been damaged in the Israel-Hezbollah war. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 23 Dec. 2024

For example, in Tuscany, families can explore Renaissance art and architecture amidst pastoral landscapes. —Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see architect

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing architecture

• Norman architecture

Kids Definition

architecture

noun

ar·​chi·​tec·​ture ˈär-kə-ˌtek-chər 

1

: the art or science of designing and building structures and especially ones that can be lived in

2

: architectural product or work

3

: a method or style of building

architectural

ˌär-kə-ˈtek-chə-rəl

-ˈtek-shrəl

adjective

architecturally

-ē

adverb

Medical Definition

architecture

noun

ar·​chi·​tec·​ture ˈär-kə-ˌtek-chər 

: 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

architectural

ˌär-kə-ˈtek-chə-rəl, -ˈtek-shrəl 

adjective

architecturally

-ē 

adverb