What is "apteral"

Apteral \Ap"ter*al\, a.

1. (Zo["o]l.) Apterous.

2. (Arch.) Without lateral columns; -- applied to buildings which have no series of columns along their sides, but are either prostyle or amphiprostyle, and opposed to peripteral.
   --R. Cyc.

a. 1 (context zoology English) apterous 2 (context architecture English) Without lateral columns; applied to buildings which have no series of columns along their sides, but are either prostyle or amphiprostyle.

1. adj. having columns at one or both ends but not along the sides [ant: peripteral]

2. (of insects) without wings [syn: apterous]

Apteral (from the Greek απτερος, "wingless": α-, "without" + πτερον, "wing") is an architectural term applied to amphiprostyle temples which have no columns on the sides. In the temple Athena Nike known as "Nike Apteros", the adjective is used, not as applying to the goddess of victory but to the absence of any peristyle on the sides.