keel arch
- noun
- Specialized
- The architect explained that a keel arch differs from a traditional pointed arch due to its S-shaped curves.
Examples
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The mosque’s entrance is adorned with a beautiful keel arch that draws the eye upward.
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Several monuments of the Mughal era feature the distinctive keel arch in their design.
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The mosque features a stunning keel arch at its entrance.
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Many keel arches can be seen in traditional Islamic buildings.
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The architect explained that a keel arch differs from a traditional pointed arch due to its S-shaped curves.
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Several monuments of the Mughal era feature the distinctive keel arch in their design.
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The mosque’s entrance is adorned with a beautiful keel arch that draws the eye upward.
Synonyms
A curved structure that spans an opening and supports weight
An arch with a pointed top used in old churches in Europe
A pointed arch with S-shaped sides used in old churches
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase 'keel arch' is directly compositional: 'keel' describes the shape or profile being applied to 'arch', so the meaning of an arch shaped like a ship's keel (S-shaped curve) follows from the constituent meanings. A B1 learner who knows both words can infer the distinctive keel-like form, making the expression transparently derivable from its parts.
Etymology
The noun keel arch comes from the word keel, the curved bottom of a 'ship', because the two sides of the arch sweep into an S-shape that looks like a ship's bottom. So, the name now means a pointed S-shaped arch used in buildings.