Final answer:
The arched or vaulted structure of a Romanesque church or Gothic cathedral is described as arcuated architecture, characterized by pointed arches and ribbed vaulting which allowed for greater heights and larger windows than earlier Romanesque designs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe the arched or vaulted structure of a Romanesque church or Gothic cathedral is arcuated architecture. This style is notable for its use of the pointed arch and ribbed vaulting, which were used extensively in Gothic architecture, following their initial appearances in late-Romanesque buildings. The pointed arches enabled church structures to reach greater heights and allowed for the inclusion of large, decorative windows, unlike the thick-walled and fewer-windows design of Romanesque churches. The ribbed vaults met in three dimensions at the center of the ceiling of each bay, becoming a distinguishing feature of Gothic cathedrals.
Romanesque architecture often alternated piers and columns and initially used mostly wooden roofs, later transitioning to masonry vaulted ceilings to accommodate the increasing numbers of pilgrims and clergy. The development of stone or brick vaults into the pointed, ribbed arch was a significant evolution from Romanesque to Gothic style, leading to more light-filled and vertiginous structures that characterized the Gothic era.