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

Mercado’s interpretation of the Santa Fe tower is subtle, with the smokestack laid out behind the long-stretching freight trains carrying J.B.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Barden, using the $250-a-share price point for SBA, wrote that it implies prices for fellow tower operators Crown Castle and American Tower of $79.53 and $222.82, respectively.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

JPMorgan to build Canary Wharf’s tallest tower after City airport approval.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

If a robot is asked to stack blocks into a tower, it must first analyze the scene, identify each block, and determine how to place them correctly.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Investors who bought mortgage bonds had to decide in which floor of the tower they wanted to invest, but Michael Burry wasn’t thinking about buying mortgage bonds.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis