spire

¹ American  

[spahy^uhr] / spaɪər /

noun

1. a tall, acutely pointed pyramidal roof or rooflike construction upon a tower, roof, etc.

2. a similar construction forming the upper part of a steeple.

3. a tapering, pointed part of something; a tall, sharp-pointed summit, peak, or the like.

   the distant spires of the mountains.

4. the highest point or summit of something.

   the spire of a hill;

   the spire of one's profession.

5. a sprout or shoot of a plant, as an acrospire of grain or a blade or spear of grass.

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verb (used without object)

spired, spiring

1. to shoot or rise into spirelike form; rise or extend to a height in the manner of a spire.

spire ² American  

[spahy^uhr] / spaɪər /

noun

1. a coil or spiral.

2. one of the series of convolutions of a coil or spiral.

3. Zoology. the upper, convoluted part of a spiral shell, above the aperture.

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spire ¹ British  

/ spaɪə /

noun

1. Also called: steeple.  a tall structure that tapers upwards to a point, esp one on a tower or roof or one that forms the upper part of a steeple

2. a slender tapering shoot or stem, such as a blade of grass

3. the apical part of any tapering formation; summit

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verb

1. (intr) to assume the shape of a spire; point up

2. (tr) to furnish with a spire or spires

spire ² British  

/ spaɪə, spaɪəˈrɪfərəs /

noun

1. any of the coils or turns in a spiral structure

2. the apical part of a spiral shell

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Other Word Forms

• spireless adjective
• spiriferous adjective
• spiry adjective
• unspiring adjective

Etymology

Origin of spire¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English spir(e), Old English spīr “spike (of grain), blade (of grass)”; cognate with Middle Dutch spier, Middle Low German spīr “shoot, sprout, sprig,” Old Norse spīra “stalk”

Origin of spire²

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin spīra, from Greek speîra; spiral

Example Sentences

This base allowed to soar last Sunday’s spire of victory at another Jack Hughes’s laboring hand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

There are nearly 200 drawings in all, as well as a few objects, including the architect’s drawing table and the wooden model of the Notre-Dame spire, almost 4 feet tall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Barcelona stretched out in every direction, a mosaic of old stone, glass and spire, Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia standing like an undone sentry among the rest.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2025

The fire destroying its wooden interiors before toppling its spire.

From BBC • Dec. 13, 2024

The truck pulled up outside a building with a tall spire, like a bell tower, but this was no church.

From "Prisoner B-3087" by Alan Gratz

Related Words

• steeple