architecture

American  

[ahr-ki-tek-cher] / ˈɑr kɪˌtɛk tʃər /

noun

• architectures
  plural

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• architectures
  plural

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

See Examples For:

architecture architectures

“I like to build, I’ve always had an interest in architecture and so forth,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Morris said nearby St Martin's Church and Miami's Art Deco architecture inspired the project, featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

More research is needed, but Perrin explains that for now, the discovery is “CRISPR-like in its architecture, but there is no evidence that it is CRISPR-like in its function.”

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

For live music or comedy, venues like the Art-Deco-style Boulder Theater and Chautauqua Auditorium, a wooden building built in 1898, offer entertainment with the bonus of interesting architecture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026

They say everything is better in Paris, the food, the architecture, the romance; I found even fencing belonged on that list.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

“Next-generation devices increasingly incorporate new architectures and performance-enhancing layers. As a materials-discovery company, we are well positioned to benefit from these technology transitions,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The architectures required to make directed-energy systems operational depend on sensor fusion — the real-time integration of radar, electro-optical and infrared data — combined with AI-driven threat classification and engagement prioritization.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

The need for such high levels of reliability can stress the capabilities of AI architectures and humans alike, according to computer scientist and Databricks co-founder Ion Stoica.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Over time, researchers may find ways to make models more efficient, reduce the amount of computation required, or change model architectures in ways that bend the cost curve meaningfully lower.

From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026

All living things on our planet are constructed of organic molecules—complex microscopic architectures in which the car- bon atom plays a central role.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• building
• construction
• engineering
• planning