An Entry Friday, June 12, 2026

The Thiccctionary

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Cathedral, Concrete Brutalist

Plate N. A resolute example of brutalist architecture, daring the skyline to defy its mass.

Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash

Cathedral, Concrete Brutalist

/ka-thee-DRAL, kon-kreet BROO-tuh-list/  n.
  1. 1. A monumental ecclesiastical structure characterized by its unapologetically bulky concrete forms and stark geometric lines; typically possessing a cavernous interior that suggests a sanctuary for contemplation and echoes.
  2. 2. colloq. A house of worship that refuses to blend into the urban landscape, instead asserting its presence with a dense, fortress-like demeanor that dares you to call it anything but thiccc.
In a sentence,

"He stood before the thiccc brutalist cathedral as if daring its concrete mass to speak first. The silence was an architectural mic drop."

Etymology,

From Latin 'cathedra' meaning 'seat,' referring to the bishop's chair, combined with 'brutalist' from French 'béton brut', meaning 'raw concrete'. Concrete, it seems, is the new holy water.

Sources

  1. Photograph by Ricardo Gomez Angel, via Unsplash. Catalogued under plate N.
  2. Direct ruling URL: thiccctionary.com/is/cathedral-thiccc/ — the shareable "Is a cathedral thiccc?" page.
  3. Cross-reference: Thiccctionary A-Z, C.
  4. Catalogued under: Architecture & Infrastructure. See related entries below.
  5. Editorial review: pending objection from the Senior Cataloguer's office.

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