tower

¹ American  

[tou-er] / ˈtaʊ ər /

noun

1. a building or structure high in proportion to its lateral dimensions, either isolated or forming part of a building.

2. such a structure used as or intended for a stronghold, fortress, prison, etc.

3. any of various fully enclosed fireproof housings for vertical communications, as staircases, between the stories of a building.

4. any structure, contrivance, or object that resembles or suggests a tower.

5. a tall, movable structure used in ancient and medieval warfare in storming a fortified place.

6. Computers. a tall, vertical case with accessible horizontal drive bays, designed to house a computer system standing on a desk or floor.

7. Aviation. control tower.

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verb (used without object)

1. to rise or extend far upward, as a tower; reach or stand high.

   The skyscraper towers above the city.

2. to rise above or surpass others.

   She towers above the other students.

3. Falconry. (of a hawk) to rise straight into the air; to ring up.

idioms

1. tower of strength, a person who can be relied on for support, aid, or comfort, especially in times of difficulty.

tower ² American  

[toh-er] / ˈtoʊ ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that tows.

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tower British  

/ ˈtaʊə /

noun

1. a tall, usually square or circular structure, sometimes part of a larger building and usually built for a specific purpose

   a church tower

   a control tower

2. a place of defence or retreat

3. a mobile structure used in medieval warfare to attack a castle, etc

4. a person who gives support, comfort, etc

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verb

1. (intr) to be or rise like a tower; loom

tower More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing tower

• ivory tower

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Other Word Forms

• towerless
  adjective
• towerlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tower¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun tour, earlier tur, tor, from Old French tur, tor, from Latin turris, from Greek týrris, variant of týrsis “tower”; Middle English tor perhaps continuing Old English torr, from Latin turris, as above

Origin of tower²

First recorded in 1485–95; tow ¹ + -er ¹

Explanation

A tower is a tall structure, with the diameter of its base less than its height. Rapunzel lived in a tower. If you have a super tall friend and you're short, you could say they tower over you. Towers can come in handy––you can build one and climb to the top, looking out for approaching enemies, or in the case of a fire tower, for early signs of forest fires. One of the most famous towers is the Tower of London, with its long-held reputation as a place of torture and execution. Most people are surprised to learn that only seven people were executed in the Tower.

Example Sentences

The first attempted launch on Thursday was postponed due to a malfunctioning hydraulic pin in the launch tower.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

After it was determined the last-minute glitches could not be addressed in time, Musk quickly posted on X that "the hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place did not retract."

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

In October, the companies announced a deal to restart a NextEra nuclear reactor in Iowa that closed in 2020 following wind damage to a cooling tower.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Investigators found high levels of Legionella bacteria in a cooling tower at what was then the Embassy Suites Napa Valley on California Boulevard, Napa County health officials said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

At that, Roz dashed out from the antennas and leaped off the control tower.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown