spire

1 of 4

noun (1)

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In Germany, medieval towns like Regensburg and Passau brim with Gothic spires, storybook townhouses, and charming cobbled squares, while the grand Melk Abbey dazzles with its golden frescoes. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Over eons, this deeply buried and buoyant salt layer squeezed upward in other places throughout the region, warping the surface into dramatic landforms like stone arches and spires. Mike Bezemek, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
Verb
On April 15, a fire broke out in the attic and spread across the roof and spire before firefighters were alerted. Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 21 May 2025 Both crosses were removed from the cathedral’s steeple and spire in 1998 for building renovations. Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for spire

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of spire was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spire. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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
spired
ˈspī(ə)rd
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on spire

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