four-centered arch
- noun
- Specialized
:
arco de cuatro centros
- The entrance to the chapel features a four-centered arch typical of the Tudor style.
Examples
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The cathedral features a stunning four-centered arch at its entrance.
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The use of a four-centered arch allows for a wider span and a unique aesthetic.
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Architects admired the decorative use of the four-centered arch in historic buildings.
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Many Gothic buildings, like Notre Dame, use four-centered arches in their design.
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The entrance to the chapel features a four-centered arch typical of the Tudor style.
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Many Gothic buildings, like Notre Dame, use four-centered arches in their design.
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The cathedral features a stunning four-centered arch at its entrance.
Synonyms
A low, slightly pointed arch used on old English buildings
How Many Centers
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
four-centered + arch
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'four-centered' literally means 'having four centers' and 'arch' is an arched construction, so a learner who knows those words can infer it refers to an arch defined by four geometric centers. Specialist details about the exact elliptical/pointed profile are technical, but the basic concept is directly derivable from the constituents.
Etymology
Four-centered arch gets its name from how the shape is drawn: builders used four different points, or centers, to draw the curve of the arch, so it becomes a 'low, wide arch' with a slight point. That's why the term means the low, wide arch shape often seen on old Gothic and Tudor buildings.
