46 architecture glossaries

A View on Cities – This is a list of the most commonly encountered terms in architecture. In addition to short, easy-to-understand explanations, you will also find examples and pictures here.

Allwords – This glossary contains a fairly large number of terms connected to architecture and the explanations are easy to understand.

Angelfire – A glossary focusing on terms related to military architecture (fortification and fieldworks). The glossary covers the most important terms in the field starting with the Iron age and up to the 18th century.

Archinomy – This list contains the most basic terms you will encounter in the field of architecture.

architecture in the Classical Tradition – This is a great resource if you are searching for terminology connected to classical architecture. The glossary also contains explanatory pictures and cross-reference links, so understanding everything will be fairly easy to do.

Artemis Illustration – Another great resource when it comes to architecture-related terminology. The words are arranged according to various sub-categories (arches, bargeboard/vergeboard, construction, dormers, moulding, ornament, roofs, siding, towers and windows). Also, there are illustrations that will help a lot with the understanding of the terms.

Ashfield – A general architecture glossary that contains quite a large number of words (so, if you did not find a particular term in other glossaries, you could find it here).

Athena Review – A glossary that has a special focus on Gothic architecture. Good explanations and pictures are provided, as well as occasional cross-reference links.

Axiom Building Inspections – This is a glossary of inspection, architecture and construction terms.

AZ Central – On this website you can find a glossary of landscape architecture terminology. Although the number of words is not very large, the glossary does cover the most basic terms in the field.

Britain Express – Looking for medieval church architecture-related terminology? This is the right resource for you then.

Buffalo architecture and History – This glossary has a large number of terms connected to architecture. Furthermore, each term come accompanied by several illustrated examples.

Build Blog – This glossary has a small number of terms included in it. However, it can be useful if you are looking for recently ‘invented’ terms related to architecture.

Castles of Britain – A castle architecture glossary with a very, very large number of terms included in it.

Cathedral Quest – This glossary contains terms generally related to church architecture.

City of Rockville – Again, this is a general architecture glossary. Since the number of terms is large, you can use this one to either find a word that you haven’t found in the previous glossaries or to find an additional explanation of a particular term.

Copper Development Association – This is a glossary dedicated to the more technical part of the architecture terminology.

Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of architecture – This website combines a series of other glossaries found on the Internet (one of which has already been presented here). You can find here a wide variety of sub-categories, from arches and moulding, to churches, synagogues and Hindu temples.

Floor Plans – The number of terms presented in this glossary is not very large, but it covers the most basic ones encountered in the field of architecture.

Gimli Municipal Heritage Advisory Comittee – We liked this glossary on architecture terminology for a number of reasons. First of all, it comes in a PDF form, so you can save it and use it offline as well. Secondly, the terms are organized according to various sub-categories (such as roof shapes, brick and stone construction, window doors, and so on).Thirdly, it provides pictures that could be very useful.

Hastings Borough Council – From apex to voussoir, this resource lists architecture terms in alphabetical order. Although not an extensive list, if you are looking for clear, simple definitions, check this glossary out.

Historic Hawaii – Again, we loved this glossary. It is also a PDF and it provides you with pictures (three for each term). Furthermore, it is rather specialised, as the terms included refer mostly to American architecture.

Institute of Classical architecture and Art – We love this resource. It can be used both online and offline. The first part of this PDF will provide you with pictures on which there are various architecture elements identified. The second part contains a glossary in which the terms previously identified are defined and explained.

Jennifer McKendry – This is another glossary focusing on rather general architecture terminology. However, it will provide you with exemplifying pictures, as well as with illustrations on which certain terms are identified.

Ken Collins – This church architecture glossary focuses mostly on the inside of the churches, the architectural elements you can find here, as well as the furnishings usually encountered in churches.

Looking at Buildings – This glossary of general architecture will also provide you with pictures exemplifying certain terms.

Lynne Rutter – A glossary containing esoteric architecture and design-related terms.

Memorial Hall Museum Online – This glossary focuses on terms encountered in the New England architecture.

Norwich Historic Churches Trust – A glossary of general church architecture that contains a fairly large number of words and provides you with easy-to-understand definitions.

Paul R Williams Project – Another great PDF architecture glossary that you can also use if you are offline. In addition to a large number of terms and sub-categorisation of certain architectural elements (such as the arch), you will also find here exemplifying illustrations.

Peter Borough Buildings in Need – This architecture glossary is split into multiple categories: doors and windows, roof, walls, signage/ shop front and classical influences (including the Greek and the Roman Orders). Each of these categories contains the most encountered terms related to it.

Scott John Kozak Architects – A general architecture glossary that will provide you with sub-classifications of certain terms.

Site Lightning – A glossary focusing on terminology connected outdoor lightning.

Stromberg Architectural – Another great architecture glossary in PDF format. You will love the high quality pictures in this one!

The Doric Order – You can find here a great illustrated glossary of architecture terms related to the classical era.

The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission – In addition to some general architecture terms, you can also find here some term related to legal aspects of this field.

The Royal Institute of British Architects – This architecture glossary focuses mostly on elements and trends encountered in Great Britain.

ThinkQuest – This site is a great resource if you are looking for very basic architecture terms. You can find here pictures exemplifying certain terms as well as extensive explanations for these terms.

Trust for Architectural Easements – Although this is another general architecture glossary, it is likely that you will find here terms that you did not previously find (such as those related to certain architectural eras).

Tudor History – A glossary of architecture-related terminology, focusing mostly on the Tudors era.

University of Dundee – A large number of terms related to architecture that you will probably encounter in more modern buildings as well.

University of Pittsburgh – A very, very good resource if you are looking for medieval architecture terminology. The definitions are easy to understand, and, on top of that, each term is provided with an exemplifying picture.

VirtualAni – An interesting glossary of terms encountered frequently in the Armenian architecture.

Wikipedia – This resource is useful if you are looking for both short definitions of certain terms and their more extensive explanations.

Your Way to Florence – This glossary focuses mostly on terms related to architecture in Florence, Italy.

Birmingham-Southern College – A glossary of terms centred on landscaping, gardening and architecture.