spire

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈspī(-ə)r 

1

: a slender tapering blade or stalk (as of grass)

2

: the upper tapering part of something (such as a tree or antler) : pinnacle

3

a

: a tapering roof or analogous pyramidal construction surmounting a tower

b

: steeple

a church spire

Illustration of spire

• S spire 3a

spire

2 of 4

verb (1)

spired; spiring

intransitive verb

: to rise like a spire

spire

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

a

: spiral

b

: coil

2

: the inner or upper part of a spiral gastropod shell consisting of all the whorls except the whorl in contact with the body

spire

4 of 4

verb (2)

spired; spiring

intransitive verb

: to rise in or as if in a spiral

Examples of spire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On the stillest nights, at nine o'clock, Major Anderson could hear the great bells in the distant witch-cap spire of St. Michael's Church, bastion of Charleston society where planters displayed rank by purchasing pews. —CBS News, 26 Apr. 2024

The disaster caused no casualties, but the Exchange’s signature central spire was reduced to rubble, reports Jan M. Olsen of the Associated Press (AP). —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024

Workers are repairing its spires and broken windows. —Claire Harbage, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024

Pinnacles is known for its namesake rock spires, wildflowers and wildlife, particularly California condors. —USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2024

Then to the canola fields of central Idaho, the winding South Fork of east Idaho, a granite spire in north Idaho. —Lauren Melink, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024

The vaults are almost entirely rebuilt and cleaned, a new gilded copper rooster is perched atop the finished tip of the spire, and the wooden attic is redone. —Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024

The top of the tall spire of nearby Grace Cathedral can be seen from the penthouse, as well. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 27 Mar. 2024

On Saturday morning, a crane carefully placed a new golden rooster atop the spire of Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral. —Antonia Mufarech, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English spīr; akin to Middle Dutch spier blade of grass

Noun (2)

Latin spira coil, from Greek speira; perhaps akin to Greek sparton rope, esparto

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1591, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

spire

noun

ˈspī(ə)r

1

: a blade or stalk (as of grass) that gradually becomes thinner and narrower near the top

2

: a sharp pointed tip (as of a tree or antler)

3

a

: a pointed roof especially of a tower

b

: steeple

spired

ˈspī(ə)rd

adjective