Definition

1. Noun:
   • Architecture influenced by the ancient Greeks or Romans: A style of building design and construction that draws its principles, aesthetics, and forms from the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. It is characterized by order, symmetry, proportion, and the use of specific elements like columns, pediments, and entablatures.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The courthouse is a fine example of classical architecture, complete with Doric columns and a triangular pediment.
  • Many government buildings in the capital were designed in the style of classical architecture to evoke ideals of democracy and stability.
  • The study of classical architecture involves understanding the five canonical orders: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite.

Advanced Usage

• "the principles of classical architecture": The fundamental rules of proportion, geometry, and harmony derived from ancient Greek and Roman models.

  • The architect adhered strictly to the principles of classical architecture in his design for the new library.

• "a revival of classical architecture": A period when the style was reintroduced or became popular again, such as during the Renaissance or the Neoclassical period.

  • The 18th century saw a major revival of classical architecture across Europe.

Variants and Related Words

• Neoclassical architecture (n): A later architectural movement, beginning in the mid-18th century, that drew renewed inspiration from classical antiquity, often characterized by a greater simplicity and grandeur than earlier revivals.

  • The White House is an iconic example of Neoclassical architecture.

• Classical order (n): One of the ancient styles of column and entablature design (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, etc.) that is a defining component of classical architecture.

  • The building's façade features the Ionic classical order.

Synonyms

• Greco-Roman architecture: Architecture of or relating to both ancient Greece and Rome.
• Classicism: The following of ancient Greek or Roman principles and style in art and architecture.

Related Phrases

• Classical revival: Another term for a period when classical architecture was reintroduced.

  • The city's central square is a product of the Classical revival of the early 19th century.

• Classical tradition: The enduring influence and continuation of classical architectural forms and ideas through history.

  • The classical tradition has shaped Western architecture for over two millennia.

Noun

1. architecture influenced by the ancient Greeks or Romans