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

The 2024-ready renovations ahead of the 150th running of the race helped make the spires more visible. —Tim Newcomb, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

The lone, roughly 800-foot-tall sandstone spire stretched upward from the canyon floor, looking like a couple of fingers extended toward the sky to feel the wind. —Derek M. Norman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025

Verb

Both crosses were removed from the cathedral’s steeple and spire in 1998 for building renovations. —Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024

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

Rhymes for spire

• dire
• ire
• lyre
• mire
• quire
• squire
• admire
• afire
• aspire
• backfire
• esquire
• expire

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