spire
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a tall, pointed tower on the roof of a building, usually a church.
n.a tall, acutely tapering pyramidal or conical structure built on a tower or roof, particularly as a feature of Gothic architecture.
Simple“The church spire could be seen from miles away across the flat countryside.”
In context“The cathedral's slender stone spire dominated the skyline, serving as a landmark for travellers approaching the city from the north.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.the top part of something that ends in a sharp point.
n.the uppermost point or summit of something, especially when tapering to a sharp point.
Simple“The mountain spire was hidden behind a thick layer of grey clouds.”
In context“The jagged rock spires of the mountain range presented a formidable challenge to even the most experienced climbers.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
n.a shape that winds around a central point, like a coil.
n.a spiral or a single turn of a spiral; one of the sinuous coils of a serpent.
Simple“The shell had a beautiful spire that twisted perfectly to a point.”
In context“The biologist noted the distinct number of spires on the snail's shell, which helped identify the specific subspecies.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.a tube used to carry fire to an explosive charge.
n.a tube or fuse used for communicating fire to the charge in blasting operations.
Simple“The miners carefully set the spire before moving to a safe distance.”
In context“In historical mining practices, the spire was a critical component for ensuring the controlled detonation of the rock face.”
Synonyms - 05 C2 Proficiency
v.to grow tall and thin rather than spreading out.
v.to sprout or grow upwards in a tapering fashion; to germinate and send forth shoots.
Simple“The young plants began to spire toward the sunlight in the greenhouse.”
In context“As spring arrived, the wheat began to spire, its green shoots reaching upward with remarkable speed after the heavy rains.”
“Through the windowpane I can see the spire of the church across the road.”
From Middle English spire, spyre, spier, spir, from Old English spīr, from Proto-Germanic spīrō, spīrǭ (“peak; point; tip; stalk”). Cognate with Dutch spier, German Low German Spier, German Spier, Spiere, Danish spir, Norwegian spir and spire, Swedish spira, Icelandic spíra.
From Old French spirer, and its source, Latin spīrō (“to breathe”).
From Middle French spire.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.