steeple

/ˈstipəl/

/ˈstipəl/

Other forms: steeples

A steeple is a very tall tower that gets smaller and smaller as it goes up. Many churches have steeples. Steeples are really tall so people can find the church from anywhere in town.

Steeples have been around since the Middle Ages. The word itself comes from Middle English for “high tower.” A steeple on top of a church or temple makes it stand out in a crowd, and it also points right up to heaven. There’s a steeple on almost every church, but if you want to see a really big one, check out the one on the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Definitions of steeple

1. noun

   a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top
   synonyms: spire

   types:

   pinnacle

   (architecture) a slender upright spire at the top of a buttress or a tower

   type of:

   tower

   a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building