spire

spire ¹

 (spīr)

n.

1. A top part or structure that tapers upward, such as a rock formation or steeple.

2. A slender, tapering plant part.

v. spired, spir·ing, spires

v.tr.

To furnish with a spire.

v.intr.

To rise and taper steeply.

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[Middle English, from Old English spīr.]

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spire ²

 (spīr)

n.

1.

a. A spiral.

b. A single turn of a spiral; a whorl.

2. The area farthest from the aperture and nearest the apex on a coiled gastropod shell.

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[Latin spīra, coil, from Greek speira.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

spire

(spaɪə)

n

1. (Architecture) Also called: steeple a tall structure that tapers upwards to a point, esp one on a tower or roof or one that forms the upper part of a steeple

2. (Botany) a slender tapering shoot or stem, such as a blade of grass

3. the apical part of any tapering formation; summit

vb

4. (intr) to assume the shape of a spire; point up

5. (Building) (tr) to furnish with a spire or spires

[Old English spīr blade; related to Old Norse spīra stalk, Middle Low German spīr shoot, Latin spīna thorn]

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spire

(spaɪə)

n

1. any of the coils or turns in a spiral structure

2. (Zoology) the apical part of a spiral shell

[C16: from Latin spīra a coil, from Greek speira]

spiriferous adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

spire¹

(spaɪ^ər)

n., v. spired, spir•ing. n.

1. a tall, acutely pointed pyramidal roof or rooflike construction upon a tower, roof, etc.

2. a similar construction forming the upper part of a steeple. See illus. at steeple.

3. a tall, sharp-pointed summit, peak, or the like.

4. the highest point or summit.

5. a sprout or shoot of a plant.

v.i.

6. to shoot or rise into spirelike form.

[before 1000; Middle English; Old English spīr spike, blade, c. Middle Dutch spier, Middle Low German spīr shoot, sprig, Old Norse spīra stalk]

spired, adj.

spire²

(spaɪ^ər)

n.

1. a coil or spiral.

2. one of the series of convolutions of a spiral.

3. Zool. the upper, convoluted part of a spiral shell, above the aperture.

[1565–75; < Latin spīra < Greek speîra; see spiral]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

spire

- In Old English, it meant "stalk" or "stem."

See also related terms for stalk.

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spire

, steeple - A spire is the tall pointed roof of a tower or the tall pointed structure on top of a steeple; a steeple is the tower plus the spire.

See also related terms for tower.

Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

spire

Past participle: spired
Gerund: spiring

Imperative

spire

spire

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

spire - a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top steeple church service, church - a service conducted in a house of worship; "don't be late for church" pinnacle - (architecture) a slender upright spire at the top of a buttress of tower tower - a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

spire

noun steeple, turret, pillar, column, skyscraper, belfry, obelisk He saw the spire ahead through the trees.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

قِمَّةٌ مُسْتَدِقَةقِمَّه مُسْتَدِقَّه

štíhlá věžvěž

spir

TurmspitzeSpitzeTurmhelm

σπείρα

agujachapitel

huippukärkiterävähuippuinen torni

flèche

toranj

spíra

guglia

尖塔

뾰족탑

smailėšpilis

smailetornis

torenspits

spirkirketårn

iglica

agulhacoruchéuflechatorre

шпильшпиц

štíhla veža

spira

kilise kulesinin sivri tepesisivri kule

ngọn tháp

塔尖尖顶

spire

[ˈspaɪəʳ] N → aguja f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

spire

[ˈspaɪə^r] n [church] → flèche f, aiguille f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

spire

n (of church) → Turmspitze f, → Turm m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

spire

[ˈspaɪəʳ] n → guglia

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

spire

(ˈspaiə) noun

a tall, pointed tower, especially one built on the roof of a church. toringdak قِمَّه مُسْتَدِقَّه заострен връх flecha štíhlá věž die Spitze spir πυραμιδοειδής κορυφή πύργου aguja (kiriku)torn تارك برج كليسا torni flèche צִרִיח כְּנֵסִייָה मीनार, शिखर šiljasti toranj, zvonik csúcs menara (turn)spíra guglia 尖塔 첨탑 špilis, smailė smaile; tornis puncak menara torenspitsspir, kirketårniglica صلیب flecha vârf (ascu­ţit) de clopotniţă шпиль štíhla veža koničast vrh zvonika zvonik [torn]spira ยอดแหลมของตึก sivri kule 塔尖 шпиль; вістря مخروطی، اہرامی شکل، خصوصا کسی گرجا کے مینارے کے اوپر tháp hình chóp, ngọn tháp 塔尖

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

spire

→ قِمَّةٌ مُسْتَدِقَة věž spir Turmspitze σπείρα aguja terävähuippuinen torni flèche toranj guglia 尖塔 뾰족탑 torenspits spir iglica coruchéu, torre шпиль spira สิ่งก่อสร้างสูงรูปกรวยที่เป็นส่วนหนึ่งของโบถส์ kilise kulesinin sivri tepesi ngọn tháp 尖顶

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009