architecture

IPA/ˈɑːkɪtektʃə(r)/
KK[ˈɑrkətˌɛktʃɚ]IPA/ˈɑːrkɪtektʃər/

architecture — noun

1. the skill, study, and professional work of planning what new buildings will look

1.nounB1
Definition

the skill, study, and professional work of planning what new buildings will look like, then drawing them in detail so that builders can construct them.

Example

Hadiya studied architecture at university because she wanted to design schools and libraries.

study + architecture

After graduating in architecture, Maria joined a small Tokyo firm that designs schools.

graduate + in architecture

Common collocations
  • study architecture
  • modern architecture
  • career in architecture
  • school of architecture
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

study/practise architecture

Usage Note

Usually uncountable in this sense. Subject is typically a person studying or practising the field, or an institution teaching it.

Common Mistakes

She studies an architecture at the college.
She studies architecture at the college.
uncountable in this sense; no article.

2. the particular look and shape of buildings from a country, period, or designer —

2.nounB1
Definition

the particular look and shape of buildings from a country, period, or designer — for example, the tall pointed windows of medieval churches or the flat roofs of 1960s houses.

Example

Tourists come to Kyoto to see its wooden temples and traditional Japanese architecture.

the architecture of [place]

Walking through Lukang, Mei admired the architecture of the red-brick houses along the narrow lanes.

the architecture of + plural noun

Common collocations
  • Gothic architecture
  • Roman architecture
  • traditional architecture
  • modern architecture
Synonyms
  • style

    general; needs context (architectural style)

  • design

    broader; can apply to any object, not only buildings

Grammar Patterns

the architecture of [place]

Usage Note

Frequently appears as 'the architecture of [place/period]' or with an adjective of nationality or era (Gothic, Roman, Victorian). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the visible style, not the profession.

Common Mistakes

I like the architectures of Paris.
I like the architecture of Paris.
usually uncountable when describing a place's overall style.

3. the way the parts inside a computer or software system are arranged and connecte

3.nounC1
Definition

the way the parts inside a computer or software system are arranged and connected, so that data and instructions move between them in the right order.

Example

Dr. Priya explained the architecture of the new chip on the whiteboard.

the architecture of [system]

Our team is rewriting the app using a simpler architecture so that small changes are easier to make.

[adjective] + architecture

Common collocations
  • system architecture
  • software architecture
  • cloud architecture
  • network architecture
Synonyms
  • structure

    broader; less focus on planned design choices

  • design

    overlaps; emphasises the choices made rather than the resulting layout

  • framework

    narrower; the supporting parts a system is built on

Grammar Patterns

system architecture

Usage Note

Common in technical writing and software job descriptions. Frequently in fixed phrases like 'system architecture', 'cloud architecture', 'software architecture'. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about computer or software structure, not buildings.

Common Mistakes

He works on the architectures of the website.
He works on the architecture of the website.
usually singular when referring to one system's overall design.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

When talking about how a building looks, 'architecture' refers to the overall visual character of the building — its shape, materials, and the period or culture it belongs to. 'Design' is broader and can apply to almost any made object, from a chair to a website, so 'building design' sounds more general than 'architecture'. 'Style' is narrower and usually needs an adjective or noun beside it ('Gothic style', 'a modern style'); on its own it is too vague. 'Structure' focuses on how parts hold together physically, often without any sense of beauty. So you would say 'the Gothic architecture of the cathedral' to praise its appearance, but 'the steel structure of the cathedral' when discussing how it stands up.

architecture ↗design ↗style ↗structure ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • school of architecture
  • piece of architecture
  • history of architecture

Phrases

  • modern architecture
  • traditional architecture
  • system architecture

Prepositions

  • the architecture of
  • in architecture

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word came into English in the 1500s from French 'architecture', which traces back to Latin 'architectura', from 'architectus' meaning a master builder. That Latin word was borrowed from Greek 'arkhitekton', formed from 'arkhi-' (chief) and 'tekton' (builder or carpenter). So at its root, 'architecture' literally means the work of the chief builder. The computer-system meaning is much newer, appearing in the mid-1900s as engineers borrowed the building word to describe how the parts of a machine fit together.