acanthus: A plant whose leaves and flowers are found on Corinthian columns and other classical ornament.

arch: A typically curved structure, made of wedge-shaped elements (voussoirs), which spans an opening and is capable of supporting not only it's own weight but also the weight above it.

architrave:  The bottom part of the entablature that spans from column to column, upon which the frieze, cornice, and pediment may be found.

art glass: Colored or ornamental glass used in decorative windows.

bay window:  These windows project out from the front or side of a house.  Bay windows have sharp angles and rise up from the ground on the first floor. 

bargeboard: The vertical-face board set back under the roof edge of a gable, often with decoration.

beam: a horizontal supporting memberof a structural frame used to strengthen floors, ceilings, and roofs; usually tied in to the outer structure.

bracket: A projecting support for a balcony or roof, sometimes decorated with scrolls or volutes.

bow window:  These windows project out from the front or side of a house.  Bow windows are rounded.  They are often formed of the window glass itself and do not have any structure beneath it.  These windows may be found on any level of a building. 

capital: The top portion of a column or pilaster. The middle section is called the shaft of the column and the bottom, the base.

clapboard: Long, thin, overlapping, horizontal wooden boards used on the exterior of framed construction as a waterproof exterior covering.

column/pillar/post: an upright supporting member used to support ceilings and roofs.

corbels:  Brick or masonry that sticks out beyond the one below it to act as a support for a window, chimney stack, or bracket, or that forms an arch or dome.

cornice:  A decorative, projecting molding on the top of a wall, pillar, side of building or eave.  Also the uppermost order of an entablature. 

cupola:  Small dome-shaped roof.

dentils: Teeth-like ornament used in Classical cornices consisting  of a row of evenly spaced, projecting blocks.

dimension stone: Historically, the term for large quantities of stone that were cut into large blocks.  Dimension stones were used in foundations, piers, and stone-supported walls.  It now refers to sized, hewn stone used as exterior facing, or blocks of stone used in windows, arches, chimneys, and other structures. Usually cut into square, rectangular, columnar, tabular, or wedge-shaped blocks.

dormer: A small window projecting vertically from a sloping roof.

eaves:  The under part of a sloping roof that hangs over a wall.

eclectic:  Composed of many architectural styles.

entablature:  A horizontal superstructure supported by columns and composed of architrave, frieze and cornice.

eyebrow: A dormer whose roof line is an arch curve that flattens out to the horizontal plane of the roof; shaped like an eyebrow.

facade: The main face or elevation of a building. From the French word meaning "front" or "face."

facing: A covering applied to the outer surface of a building.  Facing is usually both functional and decorative.  Stone facing or modern siding provides extra warmth, but also looks pretty.

fenestration: The arrangement of windows and openings in a building.

finial: A decorative ornament that tops off  the crest of a gable, tower, or other architectural element.

frieze:  The middle division of the Classical entablature found below the cornice and above the architrave. Also a band below a cornice, which may or may not be decorated.

gable(d):  The exterior, usually triangular, wall segment under a ridged roof.

gingerbread: Carved and pierced wooden ornament often found on Victorian houses. So named because of the resemblance to sugar-frosted decoration on gingerbread cookie houses.

Greek Cross:  A floor plan with four equal wings surrounding a square center.  The building looks like a plus sign from above.

hipped roof:  A roof with sloped instead of vertical ends.

keystone: The central, wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch that locks the arch together.

lintel: The horizontal structural beam, spanning a door window, or space between columns that supports the structure above it.

Mansard Roof: A roof having a slope in two planes, the lower of which is usually much steeper. Named after French architect Francois Mansart.

masonry: Construction of brick, stone, adobe, concrete block, or other material set in mortar.

parapet: A continuation of the exterior wall of a building that extends above the roof line.

pediment:  In Classical architecture, the triangular end gable that sits upon the horizontal cornice and is often filled with sculpture.  In its various revival forms, it is often used as a decorative element and may be broken, curved or scrolled.

porte cochere:  A structure with a roof that extends from the sides or front entrance of a home over a nearby driveway to shelter those getting in or out of vehicles.

post-and-lintel construction: a building method that uses two upright or vertical posts set a distance apart with a horizontal beam or lintel placed on top of them to span the distance. Walls and roofs can be built on top of the lintel which means greater space can be enclosed and multiple levels added.

quoin: Pronounced "coin." In masonry construction, the brick or stone used to reinforce the corner of a wall. Sometimes a different or contrasting brick or stone is used for decoration. Also spelled coign or coin.

rafters:  Any of the beams that slope from the ridge of a roof to the eaves and serve to support the roof.

rotunda:  A round building, hall, or room, especially one with a dome.

rusticated or rustication:  Stone masonry construction in which the faces of the blocks are rough and the individual blocks are separated by deep joints.  Depending on the texture of the rock surface, rusticated blocks may be sorted as smooth, cyclopean (rock-faced), diamond-pointed, or vermiculated.

soffit: The underside of an arch, beam, cornice, lintel, vault, or other overhead construction.

stucco:  A sturdy type of plaster used on exterior walls; often spread in a decorative pattern.

turret, tourelle: A small tower, usually corbeled, at the corner of a building and extending above it.

veneer: A decorative covering of brick, wood, stone, or other material over rough construction, used to simulate more substantial or expensive construction.

veranda: A roofed area attached to the side of a structure and supported by columns or pillars.

vermiculated or vermiculation: A decorative motif characterized by shallow channels that appear to have been made by worms.  Usually found as a decorative surface on stone masonry.

vernacular: A style or form of building developed not by architects but by local custom, and based on the use of regional materials, techniques, and forms.

voussoirs: The wedge-shaped masonry blocks that together form an arch.

wainscoting:  Wood paneling or other material applied to the lower portion of an interior wall.

widow's walk: Historically, a platform on a roof from which the wives of colonial New England seamen could watch for their return.

zoophorous: Used to describe a frieze decorated with animal or human figures.