Definition

Noun: * A structural element: A "skeen arch" is an architectural arch characterized by its specific proportions. Its defining feature is that its vertical height is less than half of its horizontal width.

Usage

• The term is used in architectural description and history to classify and describe the shape of an archway, vault, or window.
• It is a technical term most commonly encountered in texts about building design, structural engineering, or historical architecture.

Examples

• The low, wide doorway was framed by a skeen arch.
• Romanesque architecture sometimes features skeen arches in its nave arcades.
• The architect specified a skeen arch for the opening to create a squat, grounded appearance.

Advanced Usage

• The "skeen arch" is contrasted with other arch types like the "semicircular arch" (where the height is exactly half the width) or the "pointed arch" (common in Gothic architecture).
• This shape affects the structural forces and the visual weight of an architectural element.

Variants and Related Words

• Skene Arch: An alternate, less common spelling for "skeen arch."
• Segmental Arch: A closely related and more common term for an arch that is a segment of a circle, which is typically also a skeen arch.
• Depressed Arch: A general term for any arch that appears flattened or low in relation to its span.

Synonyms

• Segmental arch
• Depressed arch (in some contexts)

Notes on Meaning

• The primary and essentially sole meaning of "skeen arch" is the architectural one defined above. It does not have common idiomatic or figurative uses.

Noun

1. an arch whose height is less than half its width