architecture

American  

[ahr-ki-tek-cher] / ˈɑr kɪˌtɛk tʃər /

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.

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architecture British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• architectural
  adjective
• architecturally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of architecture

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

Explanation

Architecture is the process, or profession, of designing buildings and their environments. Architecture also refers to the product of this design and work. The root of the word architecture is the Greek arkhitekton ("master builder"), which makes sense because the ancient Greeks were very skilled at architecture — think of all those columns and stadiums and temples. The Parthenon, which was begun in 447 BC, is one of the greatest examples of architecture from Classical Greece.

Example Sentences

A recovery group has already been convened, which includes representatives of design and architecture companies.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Los Angeles architecture firm SPF:architects has designed two proposed residential projects in Southern California that will be unveiled when the new law goes into effect July 1, said Renzo Pali, director of operations.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

“With a differentiated architecture, a step-change in contracted revenue from OpenAI and AWS, and a market only now learning to pay for speed, we see an asymmetric, upside-skewed setup,” wrote Wedbush’s Bryson.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

Yet at the same time, there is no bar to AI systems – perhaps ones with a very different architecture to today’s systems – becoming conscious.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

Dawn hasn’t even broken, but I can still see the thick trees, lively greenery, bold architecture, and bright billboards that line the roads.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

• building
• construction
• engineering
• planning