Definition

1. Noun:
   • A classical architectural style: The Dorian order is the oldest and simplest of the three main orders of ancient Greek architecture, characterized by its sturdy, fluted columns and plain, saucer-shaped capitals.
   • A specific structural system: It refers to the architectural system that typically lacks a base, with the column shaft rising directly from the stylobate (the top step of the temple platform).

Usage

The term "Dorian order" is used specifically in the context of art history, architecture, and classical studies to describe and classify a fundamental style of Greek temple design. It is a proper noun and is often capitalized as "Doric order," which is its more common name.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The Parthenon, while primarily Ionic, incorporates elements of the Dorian order in its interior colonnade.
  • Archaeologists identified the ruins as belonging to a temple built in the pure Dorian order.
  • In his lecture on classical architecture, the professor contrasted the masculine simplicity of the Dorian order with the ornate Ionic.

Advanced Usage

• "canonic Dorian order": Refers to the order as defined by its strict, traditional proportions as described by the Roman architect Vitruvius.
  • The temple was constructed following the canonic Dorian order, with a column height to diameter ratio of 6:1.

Variants and Related Words

• Doric order (n): The standard and more frequently used term for the Dorian order. They are synonyms.
  • The Doric order originated in mainland Greece.
• Entablature (n): The superstructure of moldings and bands that lies horizontally above the columns in classical architecture, supported by columns of any order.
• Capital (n): The topmost member of a column, which in the Dorian order is a simple, rounded echinus and a square abacus.

Synonyms

• Doric order: The direct and most common synonym.
• Doric style: A less formal synonym emphasizing the aesthetic style.

Related Phrases

• "Triglyph and metope frieze": A defining feature of the Dorian/Doric entablature, consisting of alternating three-grooved panels (triglyphs) and blank or sculpted panels (metopes).
  • The Dorian order is easily recognized by its triglyph and metope frieze.

Related Concepts

• Greek orders: The collective term for the three principal styles of Greek architecture: Dorian (Doric), Ionian (Ionic), and Corinthian.
  • The Dorian order is the first of the classical Greek orders.
• Fluting (n): The vertical grooves carved into the shaft of a column, a characteristic of all Greek orders including the Dorian.
  • The fluting on a Dorian order column is shallow and meets in a sharp edge.

Noun

1. the oldest and simplest of the Greek orders and the only one that normally has no base