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Society > Structures > Architecture


Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.


abutment masonry on a wall that supports an arch.
acroter acroterion acroterium a pedestal or ornament at the angle of a pediment.
acroterial pertaining to an ACROTERIUM; as, acroterial ornaments.
adobe an unburnt brick dried in the sun.
adobelike like ADOBE.
aedicule an opening such as a door or window framed by columns on either side and pediments above.
agrafe agraffe a hooked clasp used by masons to hold blocks together.
aisle a passageway separating seating areas in a theatre, church, etc.; gangway.
aisled having aisles.
amphiprostyle with columns at each end but not at sides.
annulet a small ring around a classical column.
anta 1. (Lat.) a square pilaster at either side of a doorway > ANTAE. 2. an Indonesian animal > ANTAS.
antefix an ornament at the end of a classical building, hiding the ends of roof tiles > ANTEFIXA or ANTEFIXAE.
antefixa an ornament at the end of a classical building, hiding the ends of roof tiles > ANTEFIXAE.
antefixal relating to an ANTEFIX, an ornament at the end of a classical building.
anthemion a flat cluster of leaves or flowers as an ornament in classical art; in architecture, a honeysuckle ornament > ANTHEMIA.
apophyge the curve where a column merges in its base or capital. [Gk. apophyge, escape].
apteral wingless; (Arch.) without columns along the sides.
arcade a set of arches and their supporting columns; a covered and sometimes arched passageway, usually with shops on one or both sides; (verb) to furnish with an arcade.
arcading arcades collectively.
arcature a small or blind arcade.
arching (noun) an arched structure.
architect one engaged in architecture; (verb) to construct.
architectonic of or pertaining to architecture or architects.
architrave parts surrounding a door or window, especially the top.
archivolt a curved moulding on the face of an arch.
archlet a small arch.
archstone one of the wedge-shaped pieces forming an arch or vault, aka VOUSSOIR.
archway a passageway or entrance under an arch or arches.
arcology the fusion of architecture with ecology.
areaway a sunken area leading to a basement entrance.
areostyle araeostyle having columns four diameters or more apart; (noun) a building or colonnade so built.
areosystile araeosystyle alternately ARAEOSTYLE and SYSTYLE.
arris a sharp edge on stone; a meeting of two surfaces.
ashlar ashler a squared or dressed stone used in building or facing a wall; (verb) to face with ashlar.
astelic without a central column or stele.
astely the absence of a central cylinder or stele.
astylar lacking columns.
atlas 1. a book of maps > ATLASES. 2. a figure of a man serving as a column in a building > ATLANTES.
backwall a rear wall.
bailey the outer wall or courtyard of a castle.
balconet a miniature balcony.
balconied having a balcony.
balcony a platform projecting from the wall of a building with a balustrade or railing along its outer edge, often with access from a door or window.
balection a moulding around a panel.
ballium the outer wall and first line of defence of a castle. [LL. form of BAILEY].
baluster a small pillar supporting a stair-rail.
balustered having balusters.
balustrade a row of columns supporting a stair rail.
bandelet a small flat moulding around a column.
banister bannister any of the upright pillars supporting the handrail of a staircase; the whole structure of rail and uprights.
barbican an outer defensive work; esp a tower at a gate or bridge.
bargeboard a board projecting from a roof gable.
barmkin a battlement or turret on the outer wall of a castle.
bartisan bartizan a small overhanging turret projecting from an angle on the top of a tower.
bartizaned having a BARTIZAN.
baseboard a board, or other woodwork, carried round the walls of a room and touching the floor, to form a base and protect the plastering; aka MOPBOARD, skirting board.
bastile bastille a tower or an elevated work, used for the defense, or in the siege, of a fortified place.
bastion a tower at the corner of a fortification. [OF bastir, to build].
bastioned having bastions.
beading (noun) decoration in the form of or resembling beads, esp. lacelike looped edging.
bellcast designating a style of roof architecture.
bellcote an ornamental structure to hold one or two large bells.
belvedere a structure (such as a cupola or a summerhouse) designed to command a view. [Ital. bel, beautiful + vedere, view].
berm berme a narrow shelf or path between the bottom of a parapet and the ditch.
beton the French name for concrete; hence, concrete made after the French fashion.
bilection see BOLECTION.
blockwork hollow blocks of precast concrete used for building.
bolection bilection a decorative moulding above or around a panel etc.
bondstone a stone running through a wall from one face to another, to bind it together; a binding stone.
bowfront having a convex front.
bracing (noun) a brace or reinforcement.
brandreth a stand of wood for a cask or hayrick; a rail round a well.
breastsummer bressummer a beam supporting the front of a building.
breezeway a roofed often open passage connecting two buildings or two halves of a building.
brick a rectangular block of clay mixed with sand and fired in a kiln or baked by the sun, used in building construction.
bricking brickwork.
brickwork a structure, such as a wall, built of bricks; construction using bricks.
bricky of or like a brick > BRICKIER, BRICKIEST.
bridgeboard a board on both sides of a staircase that is cut to support the treads and risers.
briquet briquette a brick-shaped block made of compressed coal-dust; (verb) to form into briquettes.
butment a buttress of an arch; the supporter, or that part which joins it to the upright pier.
buttress an external structure built to support a wall or a building; something or someone that supports; (verb) to support.
came (noun) a lead rod for framing a pane in a leaded or stained glass window.
cameral chambered, vaulted.
camerated chambered, vaulted. N.B. there is no verb CAMERATE*.
cameration a vaulting or arching over.
casement a vertically-hinged frame with glass forming (part of) a window.
cauliculus one of the slender stems springing from the CAULES or main stalks supporting the volutes in the Corinthian capital > CAULICULI.
cavetto a concave molding; -- used chiefly in classical architecture > CAVETTOS or CAVETTI.
ceil ciel to provide with a ceiling.
ceiling cieling the inner upper surface of a room.
ceilinged having a ceiling.
chambranle decoration around a door frame or fireplace.
chapiter the capital of a column. [Fr. chapitre].
chaptrel the capital of a pillar which supports an arch.
chimbley chimbly chimla chimley chumley a chimney.
chimenea a freestanding fireplace for outdoor use > CHIMENEAS.
cill a sill.
clapboard a narrow board, thicker at one edge than at the other, used for weatherboarding the outside of houses; (verb) to cover with clapboard.
clearstory clerestory upper storey of a church; windows near the roof of a building.
cleithral clithral completely roofed over.
clinker klinker a very hard paving brick.
coign coigne quoin a wedge; a cornerstone; (verb) to secure or raise by wedging.
colonnade a row of evenly spaced column or trees.
columnal columnar pertaining to columns; like a column; formed or arranged in columns.
columnated having columns; as, columnated temples.
columned having columns.
compluvium a space left unroofed over the court of a Roman dwelling, through which the rain fell into the IMPLUVIUM or cistern > COMPLUVIUMS or COMPLUVIA.
compo a mortar of cement; a mixture of whiting, resin and glue for ornamenting walls and cornices > COMPOS.
concha the plain semidome of an APSE; sometimes used for the entire apse > CONCHAE.
contignation joining together of timber.
coomceiled said of an attic room with the inside ceiling sloping from the wall.
copestone a stone for coping.
coping (noun) the covering course of the masonry of a wall.
corbe a CORBEL, a projection of stone or wood from the face of a wall, used for supporting pillars or other weights.
corbel a projection of stone or wood from the face of a wall, used for supporting pillars or other weights.
corbeled corbelled having CORBELS.
corbeling corbelling corbels taken collectively.
cornice a moulding at the junction of ceiling and walls; (verb) to provide with a cornice.
corniced having a CORNICE.
cortile an enclosed, usu. roofless courtyard > CORTILI.
coulisse a piece of timber having a groove in which something glides.
coved formed with an arch.
coving the projection of upper storeys over lower; a quadrant moulding covering the join between wall and ceiling.
coyau a steep roof design > COYAUS.
crenel a crenellation; (verb) to crenellate > CRENELED/CRENELLED.
crenelate crenellate to provide with battlements.
crenelle a crenellation.
crenulate minutely crenate.
cresting an ornamental ridging to a wall or roof.
cribwork a timber framework for e.g. a pier or mine.
crocket a curling leaf along the outer angles of pinnacles and gables.
crocketed having CROCKETS, curling leaves along the outer angles of pinnacles and gables.
crossbeam a beam joining other beams.
crossette a small projecting part of an impost-stone at the extremity of an arch.
crosstie a supporting tie placed transversely.
crosstied tied with a CROSSTIE, supporting tie placed transversely.
crowstep a step-like figure on a gable.
cruck one of a pair of curved timbers supporting a roof.
crypt a cellar, vault, or underground chamber, esp. beneath a church, where it is often used as a chapel, burial place, etc.
cupola a spherical vault or concave ceiling; (verb) to furnish with a cupola.
cupolar of or like a CUPOLA.
cupolated furnished with a CUPOLA. N.B. there is no verb CUPOLATE.
cyclopean cyclopian relating to a prehistoric Greek style of masonry with immense stones of irregular form.
cyma an ogee moulding of the cornice > CYMAE or CYMAS.
cymatium the topmost molding of a cornice > CYMATIA.
dado a skirting-board > DADOS or DADOES; (verb) to fit with a dado > DADOES, DADOED, DADOING.
dalle a slab or tile, often decorative.
deadlight a strong shutter, made to fit open ports and keep out water in a storm.
decastyle a portico with ten columns in front.
demilune a half-moon-shaped object, body, or structure. Also SEMILUNE.
dentel dentil a DENTICLE, a small square block in a moulding.
dentiled with DENTILS or rectangular blocks.
diagrid a structure of interlocking diagonal beams used for support.
diastyle with columns about three diameters apart.
diglyph a projecting face like the TRIGLYPH, but having only two channels or grooves sunk in it.
dipteros a building with a double peristyle or colonnade > DIPTEROI or DIPTEROSES.
distyle a portico with two columns.
ditriglyph a space for two triglyphs in the entablature between columns.
dobie doby dobe an adobe, a sun-dried brick made of clay and straw.
domal of or relating to a house or dome.
domic domical like a dome.
domically in a domical manner.
domy dome-like; having domes > DOMIER, DOMIEST.
donjon a strong central tower in ancient castles.
door a hinged or sliding panel for closing the entrance to a room, cupboard, etc.
doorcase the frame of a door. Also DOORFRAME.
doorframe the frame of a door.
doorjamb doorpost one of the two vertical members forming the sides of a doorframe.
doorsill the sill or threshold of a door.
doorstone the stone forming a threshold.
doorway an opening into a building, room, etc., esp. one that has a door.
dormant (noun) a crossbeam, a joist.
dormer a gabled window.
dormered having DORMER windows.
dosseret a block resting on the capital of a column.
doucine an ogee moulding of the cornice.
downpipe a drainpipe which takes rainwater from the gutter of a roof.
dreamhole a hole in the wall of a tower, steeple etc. admitting light.
droplight an apparatus for bringing artificial light down from a chandelier nearer to a table or desk; a pendant.
drystone constructed of stone without mortar.
drywall a wall constructed of stones without mortar.
dutchman something used to hide structural defects.
dwang a piece of timber used to reinforce joists, a strut. [Du. dwang, force, constraint].
eave the lower edge of a roof.
eaved having EAVES.
echinus a carved molding just below the abacus of a Doric capital; a sea-urchin > ECHINUSES or ECHINI. [L. from Gk. ekhinos, hedgehog].
ecoceture a type of architecture based on concern for ecological principles such as sustainability and environmental impact.
embrasure embrazure a loophole in fortifications; a window-opening with slanted sides.
emplecton emplectum ashlar masonry filled up with rubble.
encarpus an ornament on a frieze or capital, consisting of festoons of fruit, flowers, leaves, etc > ENCARPUSES.
encastre of a beam, fixed at the ends.
entablature that part of a design in classical architecture which surmounts the columns and rests upon the capitals.
entasis a swelling on vertical columns to counteract an optical illusion of concavity > ENTASES.
entresol a low story between two higher ones, usually between the ground floor and the first story; a MEZZANINE.
epaule the shoulder of a bastion.
epaulement a side work, made of gabions, fascines, or bags, filled with earth, or of earth heaped up, to afford cover from the flanking fire of an enemy.
epinaos a rear vestibule > EPINAOI.
epistyle an architrave.
escalier a staircase.
espagnolette the fastening of a French window.
etage a floor storey.
eustyle with columns spaced at about two diameters and a quarter.
extrados the exterior curve of an arch; esp. the upper curved face of the whole body of VOUSSOIRS > EXTRADOSES. Cf. INTRADOS.
falsework a temporary framework used to support a building during construction.
fanlight a half-circle window with crossbars arranged like ribs of fan.
fastigium the apex of a building; a gable-end; a pediment > FASTIGIUMS.
femerall an outlet for smoke in a roof. [OF fumeraille, from L. fumus, smoke].
fenestral of or pertaining to windows.
fiberfill fibrefill synthetic fibres used as a filling material.
fibro fibrocement a wallboard of compressed asbestos and cement. Th pl. of FIBRO is FIBROS.
fieldstone stone for building, taken from a field.
filister a groove on a window frame.
finial a decoration on the top of a gable or spire; on furniture, a decorative turned knob.
finialed having a FINIAL, a decoration on the top of a gable or spire.
firemark a metal plate formerly placed by insurance companies to mark an insured building.
fireplace an open recess in a wall of a room, at the base of a chimney, etc., for a fire; a hearth.
firring furring strips of wood to provide a level surface or air space.
flagstone a large paving stone.
flaunching a sloping piece of cement, e.g. round the base of a chimney-pot.
fleche a slender spire, usu. of wood and rising from a roof.
fletton a type of brick made near Fletton in Cambridgeshire, of a mottled yellow and pink colour.
fluate a fluosilicate applied as a solution to building stone to make it harder and more durable.
flue a shaft, tube, or pipe, esp. as used in a chimney, to carry off smoke, gas, etc.
flued having a FLUE.
footstall a pedestal or plinth.
forestair an outside stair at the front of a house.
formwork shuttering to contain concrete.
fortalice a fortress; a small outwork of a fortification.
freestone a type of building stone that can be cut and sawn with little risk of fracturing.
frieze frise a decorated strip between ARCHITRAVE and CORNICE; a rough heavy woollen cloth; (verb) to put a frieze on.
fronton frontoon a pediment.
furring see FIRRING.
fusarol fusarole an astragal moulding, a semicircular moulding round a column, etc.
gable to form a triangular section of a wall.
gablelike like a GABLE.
gablet a small gable, or gable-shaped canopy, formed over a tabernacle, niche, etc.
gadroon godroon an ornament produced by notching or carving a rounded molding; (verb) to ornament with gadroons.
galleried having a gallery.
gallery a long and narrow corridor, or place for walking; a connecting passageway, as between one room and another; (verb) to provide with a gallery.
gallet a small pebble; (verb) to fill in mortar joints with small pebbles. [Fr. galet, pebble].
gantry gauntree gauntry a frame for supporting barrels in a cellar or elsewhere.
gargoyled fitted with gargoyles.
gault a heavy clay used for bricks.
gazebo a summer-house > GAZEBOES or GAZEBOS.
girder a large beam, esp. one made of steel, used in the construction of bridges, buildings, etc.
glyph a sunken channel or groove, usually vertical.
godroon see GADROON.
gorgerin in some columns, that part of the capital between the termination of the shaft and the annulet of the echinus, or the space between two neck moldings. Aka NECKING.
gothicise gothicize to make Gothic.
gradin gradine gradino a step or raised shelf, as above a sideboard or altar. The pl. of GRADINO is GRADINI.
grece grecian greece grees greese greesing grese gressing grice griece gris grize a flight of steps.
grecque a fret pattern in architecture.
grieced having steps.
griff griffe a claw-shaped decoration at the base of a column.
grillage a framework of timber.
groining a groin or an arrangement of groins; groined work.
groundplot the plot of ground on which a building stands.
groundsel groundsell groundsill the lowest timber of a structure.
guerite a projecting turret for a sentry, as at the salient angles of works, or the acute angles of bastions.
guichet a ticket window or similar small opening.
gunite a finely graded cement concrete sprayed into position under air pressure.
gutta a small, drop-like ornament on a Doric entablature > GUTTAE or GUTTAS.
haha a sunken fence.
halfpace a dais; a small landing on staircase. [OF. haut pas].
headstone the principal stone in a foundation; the chief or corner stone.
heck the lower part of a door, an inner door, a grating.
heroon a temple to a hero; a temple-shaped tomb > HEROONS.
hexastyle having six columns in front.
hoggin hogging sifted gravel as used in building.
hoodmold a moulding over a door or window.
houselike resembling a house.
housetop the top or roof of a house.
hupaithric upaithric = HYPAETHRAL, roofless; open to the sky.
hypaethral hypethral roofless; open to the sky (usu. intentionally, so as to see the stars.
hypaethron an open court.
hypocaust an ancient air chamber or series of chambers for heating rooms.
hypogaeum hypogeum the underground part of building > HYPOGAEA, HYPOGEA.
hypophyge the curve where a column merges in its base or capital. Also APOPHYGE.
hypostyle having a roof supported by columns.
imbrex in Roman buildings, one of a series of usu. curved tiles fitting over flat tiles > IMBRICES.
impave to pave.
impluvium in Roman dwellings, a cistern or tank, set in the atrium or peristyle to receive the water from the roof > IMPLUVIA.
ingle a fire in a room; a fireplace.
ingleneuk inglenook an alcove by a large open fire.
intertie a short timber binding together upright posts.
intrados the undersurface of an arch or vault > INTRADOSES.
isodomon isodomum masonry of uniform blocks in course of equal heights, the vertical joints placed in the middle of the blocks below > ISODOMA.
isodomous in the form of an ISODOMON, masonry of uniform blocks in course of equal heights.
jerkinhead a truncated gable with a lipped roof.
joist a beam supporting boards of a floor or laths of a ceiling; (verb) to fit with joists.
judas a Judas hole, a peep-hole in a door.
jutty a pier, a projecting part of a wall; (verb) to stick out > JUTTIES, JUTTYING, JUTTIED; (adj.) sticking out > JUTTIER, JUTTIEST .
kickplate the space in front of the fireplace of a kiln.
killogie logie the space in front of the fireplace of a kiln.
kingpost a perpendicular beam in frame of roof.
klinker see CLINKER.
knosp an architectural ornament in the form of a bud. [Ger. Knospe, bud].
lancet a type of window.
lanceted having lancet windows.
laquearia a ceiling consisting of panelled recessed compartments, with bands between the panels. No —S.
larmier a corona or other course serving as a drip-stone.
lathwork lathing.
latilla a stick making up part of a ceiling.
lattice an open framework of metal or wooden strips; (verb) to provide (as) with a lattice or lattice-work.
leep to plaster with cow-dung.
lierne in Gothic vaulting, any rib which does not spring from the impost and is not a ridge rib, but passes from one boss or intersection of the principal ribs to another.
ligger a horizontal timber of a scaffolding; a lower millstone.
lintel lintol a horizontal beam supporting the load above a door.
lintelled linteled having a lintel.
listel a narrow border or molding.
loftless without a loft.
loftlike resembling a loft.
loggia a covered open arcade > LOGGIE or LOGGIAS.
logie see KILLOGIE.
loophole to cut loopholes in the walls of, provide with loopholes.
louver louvre a sloping slat placed across an opening.
louvered having LOUVERS.
louvred having LOUVRES.
lovered louvred.
lozen a window-pane.
lucarne a dormer window.
lum a chimney.
lunette a crescent-shaped space where a vault meets a wall.
luthern a dormer window.
lychnoscope a low side window.
machicolation an opening between the corbels which support a projecting parapet, or in the floor of a gallery or the roof of a portal for shooting or dropping missiles upon assailants attacking the base of the walls.
maindoor a door giving independent access to a house, rather than opening on a common passage.
mansard a hipped curb roof; that is, a roof having on all sides two slopes, the lower one being steeper than the upper one. [From Francois Mansart, a French architect].
mansarded having a MANSARD, a hipped curb roof.
mantel the finish around a fireplace, covering the chimney-breast in front and sometimes on both sides; especially, a shelf above the fireplace, and its supports.
manteltree the lintel of a fireplace when of wood, as frequently in early houses.
masonried constructed of MASONRY.
masonry the craft of a mason; work that is built by a mason; stonework or brickwork.
merlon a narrow wall in a battlement between embrasures.
metope a square space between triglyphs in a Doric frieze > METOPES or METOPAE.
mezzanine an ENTRESOL; also, a small low window in an attic.
modillion an ornamental bracket under a Corinthian or other column. [Ital. modiglione, from L. modulus, from modus, a measure].
moellon rubble in mason-work.
moineau a small flat bastion to protect a fortress under construction.
monial a mullion.
monopitch of a roof, forming a single uniform slope.
monopteral round and without a cella; consisting of a single ring of columns supporting a roof; -- said esp. of a temple.
monopteros a building with single ring of columns supporting a roof > MONOPTERA.
monostylar monostyle consisting of a single shaft.
moongate a circular gate in a wall > MOONGATES.
mopboard a narrow board nailed against the wall of a room next to the floor; aka skirting board.
mortar (verb) to join or plaster with mortar.
mortary containing or resembling mortar.
motte an artificial mound upon which a castle is built.
moucharaby in N. Africa, an external balcony enclosed with latticework.
mudsill the lowest sill of a structure, usually embedded in the soil.
mullion munnion an upright division between window panes; (verb) to divide a window with mullions.
multipaned having many panes.
multistory of a building, having many stories; (noun) such a building.
munnion see MULLION.
muntin munting the vertical framing piece between door panels.
muntined having a muntin.
mutular relating to a MUTULE, a kind of square, flat bracket, in Doric architecture.
mutule a kind of square, flat bracket, in Doric architecture, above each triglyph and each metope, with guttae. [L. mutulus]. Cf. MODILLION.
nebule wavy moulding.
necking a molding between a column and entablature.
neogothic a style of architecture popular in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries.
newel an upright column in middle of circular staircase; a post at the end of stairs.
newelled having a NEWEL, an upright column in middle of circular staircase.
nogging masonry or brickwork between wooden frame.
nosing the projecting round edge of a stair, sill etc.
octastyle octostyle having eight columns in the front. The Parthenon is octostyle, but most large Greek temples are HEXASTYLE.
oculus any eye-like feature, especially a large circular window at the west end of a church > OCULI.
ogee an arch of two curves meeting at a point.
ogeed having an OGEE.
ogival of or like an OGIVE.
ogive a diagonal rib of a Gothic arch; a pointed arch.
opisthodomos a portico or apartment at the back of an ancient Greek or Roman temple, a posticum > OPISTHODOMOI.
oriel a projecting bay window supported with corbel or bracket.
orielled having an ORIEL, a projecting bay window supported with corbel or bracket.
outshot a projection in a building or a recess made in the wall of a room.
oversail to project.
ovolo a moulding with the rounded part comprised of a quarter circle > OVOLI or OVOLOS.
pane to insert panes into.
panopticon a building, as a prison, hospital, library, or the like, so arranged that all parts of the interior are visible from a single point.
pantile an overlapping, S-shaped roofing tile.
pantiled roofed with PANTILES.
pantiling PANTILES collectively.
parapet a bank built to provide protection from the enemy's observation and fire; esp. one on top of a wall or rampart, or in front of a trench.
parapeted having a parapet.
parge parget to plaster. PARGET gives PARGETED or PARGETTED; PARGETING or PARGETTING.
parpane parpen parpend parpent parpoint perpent a stone passing through a wall from face to face.
parquet a floor-covering of fitted wooden blocks; (verb) to cover a floor with parquet.
parqueted covered with PARQUET, a floor-covering of fitted wooden blocks.
parquetry the art of making PARQUET, a floor-covering of fitted wooden blocks.
pediment a triangular structure crowning front of a Greek building.
pendentive the portion of a vault by means of which the square space in the middle of a building is brought to an octagon or circle to receive a cupola.
pent a penthouse; a sloping or overhanging roof.
pentastyle having five columns in front; -- said of a temple or portico in classical architecture.
pentice pentise a penthouse; (verb) to provide or cover with a penthouse.
pentroof a roof that slopes one way only.
pergola an arbor formed of columns supporting trelliswork on which climbing plants are often trained.
peribolos peribolus a precinct; an enclosing wall of a precinct > PERIBOLOI, PERIBOLI.
peridrome a gallery or balcony that ran round all four sides of a classical building.
peripter a structure with a row of columns around all sides.
periptery a PERIPTERAL building; the turbulent air around a flying object.
peristylar relating to a PERISTYLE, a range of columns around a building or courtyard.
peristyle a range of columns around a building or courtyard.
perpent see PARPANE.
perron a raised platform or terrace at an entrance door.
pilaster a square column partially embedded in a wall.
pilework work or foundation made of piles.
pillar to provide with a pillar for support or ornamentation.
pilotis a series of columns or piles, used to raise the base of a building above ground level > PILOTIS.
pinnacle a slender spire; (verb) to equip with a pinnacle.
pinnet a pinnacle.
pise a species of wall made of stiff earth or clay rammed in between molds which are carried up as the wall rises. The e has an accent.
plafond a decorated ceiling.
planch planche a plank, a board; (verb) to floor, board.
plaster a mixture of lime, sand, and water, sometimes stiffened with hair or other fibres, that is applied to the surface of a wall or ceiling as a soft paste that hardens when dry; (verb) to cover with plaster.
plasterboard a thin rigid board, in the form of a layer of plaster compressed between two layers of fibreboard, used to form or cover walls.
plateglass designating a kind of glass used for windows.
plinth the rectangular base of a column or pedestal.
podial relating to a PODIUM, a low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall.
podium a low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall > PODIA or PODIUMS.
polystyle having many columns.
porch a low structure projecting from the doorway of a house and forming a covered entrance.
porched having a porch.
porchless without a porch.
portal an entrance, gateway, or doorway, esp. one that is large and impressive.
portaled equipped with portals.
portico a formal entrance to a classical temple, church, or other building, consisting of columns at regular intervals supporting a roof often in the form of a pediment > PORTICOS or PORTICOES.
porticoed having a PORTICO.
postern a back door; a door or gate distinct from the main entrance; a side way or entrance.
propylaeum any court or vestibule before a building or leading into any inclosure > PROPYLAEA.
propylon the porch, vestibule, or entrance of an edifice > PROPYLA.
prostyle in Greek architecture, a front portico without ANTAE, a building with such a portico and no other.
prytaneum a public building in certain Greek cities; especially, a public hall in Athens regarded as the home of the community, in which official hospitality was extended to distinguished citizens and strangers > PRYTANEA.
purlin purline a supporting timber stretching across rafters.
putlock putlog a cross-piece in a scaffolding.
quadratura a wall or ceiling painted with arches and columns in strong perspective > QUADRATURE (which is also a singular in its own right, meaning the act of squaring).
quarterlight a small triangular ventilation window in a car.
quoin see COIGN.
rafter to build or provide with rafters.
rag ragg ragstone a rough hard stone.
raggle a groove in masonry; (verb) to make a raggle in.
ragwork a kind of rubblework, esp. of thin and small stones.
rainspout a gutter, a downspout.
ravelin a projecting out-work in fortification, having two embankments forming salient angle.
rebar a reinforcing bar used in concrete.
reeding parallel grooves cut into the edge of a coin at right angles to the faces.
reglet a flat, narrow moulding.
regula in architecture, a fillet below a TRIPTYCH > REGULAE.
repave to pave again.
revet to face with masonry etc. Pp. REVETTING, pt. REVETTED.
revetment a masonry etc. facing of an embankment or trench.
rhone roan rone ronepipe a roof-gutter.
ribwork a rib vaulting.
rickstand a flooring or framework on which a rick is made.
ridgepole ridgetree the timber forming the ridge of a roof, into which the rafters are secured.
rigol a groove in wood or stone; a slot.
riprap a protective foundation, embankment, etc. made of loose chunks of stones placed together; (verb) to construct a breakwater or other work with a foundation of loose stone.
roan see RHONE.
rockwork stonework in which the surface is left broken and rough.
rococo a style of architecture marked by much ornamentation esp. scrollwork.
rondel rondelle a small round tower erected at the foot of a bastion.
rone see RHONE.
ronepipe see RONE.
rooflike like a roof.
roofline the outline of a roof.
roofscape a view of roofs.
rooftop the top of a roof.
rooftree the beam in the angle of a roof; hence, the roof itself.
roofy having roofs > ROOFIER, ROOFIEST.
rosace a rosette; a rose-window.
rotunda a rounded, domed building or hall.
roundarch having semicircular arches.
ruelle the space between the bed and the wall. [Fr. ruelle, little street].
rybat a dressed stone at the side of a door, window etc.
sacellum an unroofed space consecrated to a divinity > SACELLA.
sagitta a keystone; a versed sign of an arc > SAGITTAS.
samel of a brick or tile > imperfectly burnt.
sarking thin boards for sheathing, as above the rafters, and under the shingles or slates, and for similar purposes.
scabble scapple to work stone smoothly, without smoothing to a finish.
scagliola stone-like plasterwork for interior decoration, made of powdered marble made into a past, applied to a gesso ground and polished.
scalpins small stones used for drainage in excavation and as hardcore. N.B. there is no singular SCALPIN.
scapple see SCABBLE.
scoinson sconcheon scontion scuncheon the inner part of a door jamb or window frame.
scotia a concave molding used especially in classical architecture > SCOTIAS.
screeding (noun) the material of a screed, as used to finish a floor.
seeling a ceiling. In OSPD SEELING is valid, but only as a participle of SEEL, hence SEELINGS is #.
semidome half a dome, especially as formed by a vertical section.
semidomed having a half dome.
semilune a half-moon-shaped object, body, or structure. Also DEMILUNE.
severy a compartment of a vaulted ceiling.
sexfoil a window, design etc. with six lobes or leaves.
sharawadgi sharawaggi in design, architecture etc., the use of irregularity for deliberate, artful, contrastive effect.
sidepiece the jamb, or cheek, of an opening in a wall, as of door or window.
sield = CEILED, provided with a ceiling.
skewback either of two inset abutments sloped to support a segmental arch.
skybridge a covered elevated bridge connecting two buildings.
skylight a window placed in a roof or ceiling to admit daylight. Aka FANLIGHT.
skywalk an elevated walkway between two buildings.
slipform a form that can be moved slowly as work progresses; (verb) to work using a slipform.
soaker a small piece of lead used to form a watertight joint with a chimney where it projects from a roof.
socle a plain face or plinth at the foot of a wall, column etc.
soffit the ornamented underside of a stair or archway.
solidum a large moulding along the base of a pedestal > SOLIDUMS.
solive a joist or beam of secondary importance.
spandrel spandril the triangular space between the curve of arch and the right angle enclosing it.
spire+ a tall slender architectural structure tapering to a point.
spirelet a slender spire, aka FLECHE.
staircase a flight of stairs, its supporting framework, and, usually, a handrail or banisters.
staircased having a STAIRCASE.
staircasing a staircase or staircases collectively.
staired having, or arranged like, stairs.
stairfoot the level place at the foot of the stairs.
stairhead the level place at the top of the stairs.
stairway a means of access consisting of stairs; staircase or flight of steps.
stairwell a vertical shaft or opening that contains a staircase.
stanchel an upright beam, bar or support; (verb) to support by a STANCHEL > STANCHELLED.
stanchion an upright beam, bar or support; (verb) to support by a stanchion.
stayre stair.
stoep a platform along the front, and sometimes the side, of a house.
stonework any work in stone.
storey a floor or level of a building.
storeyed having STOREYS.
storiated decorated with elaborate ornamental designs. N.B. there is no verb STORIATE.
stretcher a brick placed lengthwise in masonry.
striga the flute of a column > STRIGAE.
stringcourse a horizontal band or molding set in the front of a building.
stucco a kind of plaster for exteriors of buildings, especially highly ornamented > STUCCOES. (Verb) to coat with stucco > STUCCOS.
studding the woodwork of a lath and plaster wall or partition; a piece of wood for this.
studwork brickwork walls between studs; studded leather.
stylobate a continuous pedestal supporting a row of columns.
subarcuate somewhat arched; with two or more arches under a main arch.
subbase the lowest part of a base.
subceiling an under-ceiling.
subfloor a rough floor underlying a finished floor.
sunblind a blind to keep out the sun.
sunporch a screened porch with sunny exposure.
surbase a cornice, or series of moldings, on the top of the base of a pedestal, podium, etc.
surbased having a SURBASE, a cornice, or series of moldings, on the top of the base of a pedestal, podium, etc.
surbed to set edgewise, as a stone; that is, to set it in a position different from that which it had in the quarry.
systyle having an intercolumniation of two diameters; (noun) such an arrangement.
tanalised tanalized of timber, treated with Tanalith, a proprietary preservative.
tarpaper paper coated with tar, for covering roofs etc.
teer to daub, plaster.
tegula a tile > TEGULAE.
telamon a draped male figure used like a caryatid as a supporting column or pilaster, aka ATLAS > TELAMONES.
terrace a horizontal flat area of ground, often one of a series in a slope; a row of houses, usually identical and having common dividing walls, or the street onto which they face; (verb) to equip with a terrace.
terrazzo a flooring of marble chips set in mortar and then polished > TERRAZZOS.
tetrastyle a building with four columns.
thack theek to thatch.
tholobate the substructure of a dome or cupola.
tholos tholus a round building, dome, cupola > THOLOI, THOLI.
tierceron a subordinate rib springing from the intersection of two other ribs.
tige the shaft of a column. [Fr. tige, stalk].
timberwork work made of timbers.
timpanum tympanum the space between an arch and the lintel of a portal > TIMPANA or TIMPANUMS; TYMPANA or TYMPANUMS.
topstone a stone that is placed on the top, or which forms the top.
toric having the form of a TORUS, a rounded swelling.
torsel a plate in a brick wall to support the end of a beam.
torus a rounded swelling; the lowest moulding of a column > TORI, TORUSES.
trabeate built of horizontal beams rather than arches.
trabeated constructed of horizontal beams, as Greek architecture.
trabeation a construct of horizontal beams.
trabecula a rod-like structure running across a cavity and giving it internal support > TRABECULAE or TRABECULAS.
traceried with TRACERY.
tracery a pattern of interlacing ribs, esp. as used in the upper part of a Gothic window, etc.
transom a structure dividing a window horizontally.
transomed having a TRANSOM, a structure dividing a window horizontally.
trave a crossbeam or space between crossbeams.
treille a trellis.
trellis a structure of cross-barred or lattice-work; (verb) to fit with a trellis.
triapsal triapsidal having three apses.
triclinium a couch for reclining at meals, extending round three sides of a table, and usually in three parts > TRICLINIA.
triforial relating to a TRIFORIUM.
triforium a gallery or arcade over an aisle; a gallery over nave and choir > TRIFORIA.
triglyph an architectural ornament of a tablet bearing two V-shaped channels.
trumeau a piece of wall or pillar between two openings > TRUMEAUX.
turret a small tower that projects from the wall of a building, esp. a medieval castle.
turreted having turrets.
turrical like a turret.
unroof to remove the roof from.
upaithric see HUPAITHRIC.
vaultage vaulted work; also, a vaulted place; an arched cellar.
ventana a window.
veranda verandah viranda virando a roofed gallery, terrace, or open portico along the front or side of a building.
verandaed having a VERANDA.
verandahed having a VERANDAH.
viga a ceiling beam.
vomitorium vomitory an opening in a large building by which a crowd is let out. The pl. of VOMITORIUM is VOMITORIA.
voussoir one of the wedge-shaped pieces forming an arch or vault; (verb) to construct with a voussoir.
wainscot to line with boards or panels; (noun) fine oak panelling.
wainscoting wainscotting (noun) oak panelling.
walkup (something) reached by means of stairs.
wallboard building board, board for lining walls.
weephole a hole in a wall to allow water to escape from behind.
wellhole the open space in a floor, to accommodate a staircase.
windock winnock a window.
windore a window.
window (verb) to provide with windows.
windowpane the glass in a window.
windowy like a window > WINDOWIER, WINDOWIEST.
windway a passage for air.
woodblock a type of flooring.
xyst xystos xystus a long covered portico or court used by ancient Greek athletes for exercises > XYSTS, XYSTOI, XYSTI.
yate yett a gate, door.
zocco zoccolo a plain face or plinth at the foot of a wall, column etc > ZOCCOS, ZOCCOLOS. Cf. SOCLE.