Glossary UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
abutment - CORRECT ANSWER - A buttressing or supporting structure.
acoustics - CORRECT ANSWER - The branch of physics that deals with sound. In
architectural application, the sound qualities of a room or space.
acropolis - CORRECT ANSWER - In an ancient Greek city, a citadel, usually on a high
plateau.
addenda - CORRECT ANSWER - Statements or drawings that modify the basic contract
documents after the latter have been issued to the bidders, but prior to taking of bids.
addition (to the contract sum) - CORRECT ANSWER - An amount added to the contract
sum either by an accepted additive alternate or by a change order.
adobe - CORRECT ANSWER - A sun-dried brick of earth, used in the American
Southwest.
advertisement for bids - CORRECT ANSWER - Published public notice soliciting
proposals for a construction project.
aesthetics - CORRECT ANSWER - The branch of philosophy that deals with the quality,
aspects, and perception of beauty.
agent - CORRECT ANSWER - one who acts on behalf of another.
,air rights - CORRECT ANSWER - The rights to the use or control of space above a
property, such as highways, railroad tracks, or buildings.
albedo - CORRECT ANSWER - Reflectivity measured as the relative permeability of a
surface to radiant energy flowing in either direction.
alignment - CORRECT ANSWER - Horizontal or vertical deviation from the straight or
level centerline of the road.
alternate bid - CORRECT ANSWER - Proposal by a bidder for an amount to be subtracted
from, or added to, the base bid if the corresponding change in the work is accepted.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - CORRECT ANSWER - Federal civil rights
legislation that establishes the right of persons with disabilities to equal access to sites and
buildings and sets design guidelines for its implementation.
amphitheater - CORRECT ANSWER - An arena encircled by tiers of seats.
annunciator - CORRECT ANSWER - An electromagnetic device that indicates the
activation of certain circuits; a device to signal the existence and location of a fire in a building.
application for payment - CORRECT ANSWER - A contractor's written request for
payment of the amount due on account of work completed and/or materials suitably stored on the
site. Also called payment request.
approved equal - CORRECT ANSWER - Material or method that is approved by the
architect as being equivalent to what was originally specified.
apse - CORRECT ANSWER - The eastern or alter end of a church, usually semicircular in
plan.
,arbitration - CORRECT ANSWER - An alternative to litigating a dispute, in which one or
more arbitrators hears the evidence and renders a decision.
ashlar - CORRECT ANSWER - Masonry having a face of square or rectangular stones.
azulejo - CORRECT ANSWER - a glazed decorative tile with the color blue most
prominent.
backfill - CORRECT ANSWER - Earth or other fill material placed between an outside
foundation wall and the excavation.
baffle - CORRECT ANSWER - A partial obstruction against flow in a duct or pipe.
balance - CORRECT ANSWER - The proportioning of components by offsetting or
contrasting so as to produce an aesthetic equilibrium in the whole.
Baroque - CORRECT ANSWER - A style of European architecture developed in the late
Renaissance in reaction to classical forms, containing elaborate curves, scrolls, and ornament.
barrier-free provisions - CORRECT ANSWER - Regulations which provide for
accessibility to buildings and sites for persons with disabilities.
base bid - CORRECT ANSWER - The sum of money stated in the bid for which the bidder
offers to do the work, not including any alternate bids.
base lines - CORRECT ANSWER - East-west lines from which townships are established
on government surveys. They run perpendicular to meridian lines.
basic services - CORRECT ANSWER - The architectural services normally required for a
building project, usually consisting of schematic design, design development, construction
documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction contract administration.
, bat - CORRECT ANSWER - A part, usually half, of a broken brick; also a unit of flat
insulation.
batten - CORRECT ANSWER - A cleat-like member placed across a series of boards to tie
them together; also, a narrow strip covering the joint joint between two vertical boards.
belvedere - CORRECT ANSWER - A roofed structure or pavilion located to command a
view.
bench - CORRECT ANSWER - An excavated, level terrace in a slope used to collect
running water.
benchmark - CORRECT ANSWER - A relatively permanent surveyor's mark of known
location and elevation.
berm - CORRECT ANSWER - A bank of earth, often piled up against a wall.
bid - CORRECT ANSWER - A proposal by a contractor to do the work required by the
contract documents for a stipulated sum of money.
bid bond - CORRECT ANSWER - A surety bond guaranteeing that the bidder will sign a
contract, if offered, in accordance with his or her proposal.
bidding documents - CORRECT ANSWER - The invitation to bid, instructions to bidders,
the bid form, and the contract documents.
bituminous - CORRECT ANSWER - Describing cement, mastic, or roofing material
which contains asphalt as a principal ingredient.