steeple
steeple Lexical Profile
steeple Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tall, ornamental tower, typically attached to a church or other public building, frequently topped with a spire and housing bells.
"The bronze bells rang loudly from the old church steeple, echoing across the quiet New England village."
A sharply pointed natural rock formation resembling an architectural tower, particularly found in mountainous or canyon regions.
"The climbers cautiously scaled the jagged rocky steeple that jutted out above the icy glacier."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'steeple' encompasses the entire structural tower of a church, whereas a 'spire' technically refers only to the tapering, pointed top element, though the two are frequently used interchangeably.
• Rhymes for steeple
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'stēpel' or 'stīepel', meaning 'tower', derived from 'stēap' meaning 'high' or 'steep'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.