# pinnacle

/ˈpɪnəkəɫ/ (US) · /pˈɪnəkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pinnacle
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 3. architecture

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a small pointed tower on top of a building.

For teachers: a vertical ornament, usually forming a high tufted point, used to finish a buttress or gable in Gothic architecture.

- The cathedral was decorated with many stone pinnacles that pointed toward the sky.
- The architect added decorative pinnacles to the buttresses, not only for aesthetic appeal but to provide the necessary weight to stabilise the high walls.

### 4. to place high up

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

to put something on a very high point.

For teachers: to place on or as if on a pinnacle; to crown or provide with pinnacles.

- The statue was pinnacled high above the city square.
- The design for the new monument featured a bronze eagle pinnacled atop a marble column to symbolise national pride.

## Examples

- Winning the award was the pinnacle of her career.
- After years of training, reaching the summit of Everest felt like the pinnacle of his life as a climber.
- The cathedral's design represents the pinnacle of Gothic architecture, featuring intricate stone carvings and soaring spires that dominate the city skyline.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.