Bauhaus
noun /ˈbaʊ.haʊs/ — A revolutionary design philosophy merging art, craft, and function.
Definition
A highly influential German art school (1919–1933) that pioneered a new approach to design — rejecting decoration in favour of pure function. The Bauhaus philosophy holds that form should follow function, and that art and industry are not opposites but partners.
Beyond the definition
Bauhaus is why your IKEA chair looks the way it does. It is the idea that beauty and usefulness are not enemies — that the most beautiful object is the one that works perfectly.
Origin & history
German: 'Bauen' (to build) + 'Haus' (house). Founded in Weimar, Germany by architect Walter Gropius. Closed by the Nazis in 1933, but its diaspora of teachers spread its philosophy worldwide.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The typeface had an unmistakably Bauhaus quality — clean, functional, entirely without ornament.
Bauhaus thinking infiltrated everything from architecture to typography to the iPhone's interface design.
The Bauhaus believed that the chair you sit on and the painting on your wall should speak the same language.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Bauhaus” when the meaning fits your context: A highly influential German art school (1919–1933) that pioneered a new approach to design — rejecting decoration in favour of pure function. The Bauhaus philosophy holds that form should follow function, and that art and industry are not opposites but partners.
Synonyms
functionalism, modernism, design rationalism
Antonyms
Related words
Bauhaus vs minimalism
Bauhaus is a specific historical movement focused on merging art and industrial function. Minimalism is the general design principle of stripping away non-essentials to achieve simplicity.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Function and Minimalist Order
An adult in a minimalist, perfectly ordered room arranges three objects on a tray.
The rejection of decoration in favor of a balanced, pure composition mirrors the Bauhaus philosophy. Every object has a reason and a function, illustrating the belief that industry and art are unified.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Bauhaus" mean?
Bauhaus is noun meaning: A revolutionary design philosophy merging art, craft, and function.. A highly influential German art school (1919–1933) that pioneered a new approach to design — rejecting decoration in favour of pure function. The Bauhaus philosophy holds that form should follow function, and that art and industry are not opposites but partners.
Where does the word "Bauhaus" come from?
German: 'Bauen' (to build) + 'Haus' (house). Founded in Weimar, Germany by architect Walter Gropius. Closed by the Nazis in 1933, but its diaspora of teachers spread its philosophy worldwide.