greek revival: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Greek Revival is a specific subset of the broader Neoclassical movement. Neoclassical can draw from both ancient Greek and Roman sources. Greek Revival deliberately and more purely emulates the forms of ancient Greek temples.

They are common in the UK (especially London and Edinburgh from the Regency period) and throughout the eastern United States and the American South. Look for government buildings, banks, churches, and large private houses built between roughly 1790 and 1850.

Look for a temple-like front (portico) with massive columns (often Doric or Ionic), a triangular pediment above the columns, a low-pitched roof, and a symmetrical, rectangular shape. The building often resembles a Greek temple adapted for modern use.

Its popularity was fueled by archaeological discoveries in Greece, romantic ideals of democracy and civic virtue associated with ancient Athens, and a reaction against the more ornate Baroque and Rococo styles. In the US, it was seen as a fitting style for the new republic.

An architectural and artistic movement in the late 18th and early 19th centuries that drew inspiration from classical Greek temples and aesthetics.

Greek revival is usually formal / technical (primarily used in academic, historical, and architectural discourse) in register.

Greek revival: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡriːk rɪˈvaɪvəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡrik rɪˈvaɪvəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.