A wall which is supporting its own weight and some other structural elements of the house such as the joists.
Wall that supports the weight of the structure above it. These walls cannot be removed without providing an alternative source of support.
A wall supporting applied loads in addition to its own weight.
A wall that supports a vertical load, such as joists beams, girders, or floor trusses.
A load bearing wall is one in which a wall of a structure bears the weight and force resting upon it, as opposed to a curtain wall which uses the strength of a sub-wall and superstructure to carry the weight. The materials most often used to construct load bearing walls in large buildings are stone, block, or brick.