flat arch: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “flat arch” mean?
An architectural arch with a level or nearly level curve, composed of bricks or stones laid with joints that radiate from a central point, transferring load vertically.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An architectural arch with a level or nearly level curve, composed of bricks or stones laid with joints that radiate from a central point, transferring load vertically.
More generally, can refer to any structure or design element that arches or curves but has a very shallow rise, giving a predominantly horizontal, flat appearance. Sometimes used metaphorically for something that spans a gap with minimal curvature.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Term is identical in both dialects. The concept is universal in Western architecture, though more commonly encountered in descriptions of Georgian, Victorian, or Roman architecture in the UK, and in early 20th-century commercial architecture in the US.
Connotations
In both regions, it connotes specific architectural knowledge. In everyday speech, it is virtually non-existent.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Frequency is tied entirely to technical architectural discourse, with no significant dialectal variation.
Grammar
How to Use “flat arch” in a Sentence
The [material] flat arch spans the [opening].A flat arch is built/constructed over the [window/door].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flat arch” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The builder will flat-arch the window opening using special bricks.
- They flat-arched the entire ground floor facade.
American English
- The architect specified to flat-arch the interior passageways.
- The mason flat-arched the doorway with precision.
adverb
British English
- The bricks were laid flat-arch style.
- The opening was constructed flat-arch.
American English
- The windows are designed flat-arch.
- The stones were set flat-arch across the gap.
adjective
British English
- The flat-arch construction is a signature of the Regency period.
- It's a flat-arch window design.
American English
- The building features flat-arch brickwork above every opening.
- A flat-arch detail was added for historical accuracy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in specific contexts like architectural services, construction project descriptions, or real estate listings for historic properties.
Academic
Used in architecture, civil engineering, art history, and archaeology papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson might describe it as 'that flat bit of brickwork over the window'.
Technical
The primary domain. Precise descriptions of its construction (e.g., 'a flat arch with voussoirs and a keystone').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flat arch”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flat arch”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flat arch”
- Confusing it with a 'lintel', which is a straight, horizontal support beam. A flat arch is still an arch, with angled joints. Pronouncing 'arch' as /artʃ/ instead of /ɑːtʃ/ (UK) or /ɑːrtʃ/ (US).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it has a very slight, often imperceptible curve or camber. The term 'flat' refers to its visual appearance compared to a semi-circular arch.
It can support significant compressive loads, like masonry above it, but its spanning capacity is less than a true arched structure and it relies heavily on the surrounding wall for stability.
Commonly found above windows and doors in Georgian, Victorian, and Neo-classical buildings, and in the construction of brick bridges and culverts from the 18th and 19th centuries.
A lintel (e.g., stone, wood, steel) is a beam that acts in bending. A flat arch is a curved structure made of wedge-shaped units (voussoirs) that acts primarily in compression. Visually, they can look similar.
An architectural arch with a level or nearly level curve, composed of bricks or stones laid with joints that radiate from a central point, transferring load vertically.
Flat arch is usually formal, technical in register.
Flat arch: in British English it is pronounced /ˌflat ˈɑːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌflæt ˈɑːrtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a technical term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'flat' tyre – it's lost its curve. A 'flat arch' is an arch that has lost most of its curve, sitting almost level like a lintel.
Conceptual Metaphor
BRIDGING A GAP WITHOUT ELEVATION IS A FLAT ARCH. (Used to describe a solution that connects two points/issues without a significant change in approach or status.)
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary structural principle of a true flat arch?