high-rise building

[/haɪ raɪz ˈbɪldɪŋ/]
nounpl: high-rise buildings
edifício de alta altura / prédio alto / arranha-céu
1. A tall building with many stories, typically containing offices, apartments, or hotels, usually 12 or more stories high
The city's skyline is dominated by high-rise buildings.
O horizonte da cidade é dominado por edifícios de alta altura.
2. A modern structure built to accommodate a large number of residents or workers in a vertical configuration
They moved into a high-rise building in downtown Manhattan.
Eles se mudaram para um prédio alto no centro de Manhattan.
High-rise buildings are particularly significant in urban centers like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, representing modernization and vertical growth in response to population density. In the USA, especially in cities like New York and Chicago, high-rise buildings symbolize economic power and urban development. The term is often used in real estate and urban planning discussions in both countries.
NYC Slang
tower
Synonyms / Sinônimos
skyscrapertall buildingtower blockhighrisemulti-story building
Antonyms / Antônimos
low-rise buildingcottagebungalowsingle-story buildinghouse

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
edifício de alta altura / prédio alto
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
prédio alto / edifício
Commonly used in conversation about the vertical development of the city
São Paulo
edifício de alta altura / arranha-céu
Used extensively given São Paulo's dense high-rise development
Portugal
edifício alto / torre residencial
Portuguese Portuguese tends to use 'edifício alto' more frequently

Related Words

skyscraperapartment buildingoffice buildingelevatorurban developmentarchitecturefloor planresidential complex

Related Idioms & Phrases

reach for the sky
head in the clouds
concrete jungle
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