The Doric order was much used in Greek Revival architecture from the 18th century onwards; often earlier Greek versions were used, with wider columns and no bases to them. The ancient architect and architectural historian Vitruvius associates the Doric with masculine proportions (the Ionic representing the feminine).

In classical architecture, Doric columns represent strength, masculinity, and simplicity. As the oldest and simplest of the three Greek orders (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian), the Doric order is characterized by a sturdy, fluted shaft that typically lacks a base, resting directly on the temple's floor. The capital is plain and unadorned, consisting of a circular molding topped by a square slab. Historically, the Doric column was compared to the male body—broad at the base and strong—whereas the Ionic column was associated with more "feminine" grace and slender proportions. This symbolism is most famously embodied in the Parthenon in Athens, where the Doric columns communicate a sense of solidity, restraint, and enduring power. In Neoclassical architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Doric order was frequently used for civic buildings, banks, and monuments to project an image of gravity, stability, and democratic ideals, echoing the "pure" architectural language of ancient Greece's most prosperous era.