Illustration of spire
- S spire 3a
spire
1 of 4noun (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
spire
2 of 4verb (1)
spired; spiring
intransitive verb
: to rise like a spire
spire
3 of 4noun (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 4verb (2)
spired; spiring
intransitive verb
: to rise in or as if in a spiral
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
ˈspīr
1
: a pointed roof especially of a tower
2
: steeple
spires
noun
as in whorls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- whorls
- curls
- spirals
- coils
- hanks
- furls
- twirls
- wreaths
- beckets
- collars
- cinctures
- loops
- annulets
- girdles
- hoops
- belts
- rings
- bands
- eyes
- circles
- rounds