skeen arch
- noun
- Specialized
:
arco skeen
- The bridge uses a skeen arch design to support the wide span with a low rise.
Examples
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Engineers chose a skeen arch because it provided the needed stability with less vertical height.
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A skeen arch is ideal for architectural styles that require broad, low arches.
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The skeen arch design is popular in modern architecture.
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Many skeen arches can be seen in historical buildings.
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A skeen arch is often used in buildings that favor low, wide openings.
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The skeen arch effectively distributes weight, making it a popular choice for bridges.
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Architects appreciate the skeen arch for its ability to create spacious interiors with minimal height.
Synonyms
A curved opening in a wall that is lower than it is wide
An arch whose height is less than half its width
An arch that is less than half as tall as it is wide
Surface Forms
Morphology
skeen + arch
The modifier 'skeen' is not a familiar or decomposable English word (marked '[Word not found in dictionary]') and the specific geometric sense ('height less than half the width') is a technical property that cannot be inferred from 'arch' alone. Because the crucial meaning rests on an opaque, specialized lexical item rather than a transparent, compositional combination, a B1 learner who only knows the common constituent 'arch' would not be able to derive the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Skeen arch may come from an old word skeen meaning 'shallow' or 'flat', which gives the clear picture of an arch that stays low while stretching wide. That's why skeen arch means an arch whose height is less than half its width.
