steeple

[ stee-puhl ]

noun

1. an ornamental construction, usually ending in a spire, erected on a roof or tower of a church, public building, etc.
2. a tower terminating in such a construction.
3. (loosely) a spire.

verb (used with object)

, stee·pled, stee·pling.

1. to provide with or form into a steeple or steeplelike configuration.

steeple

/ ˈstiːpəl /

noun

1. a tall ornamental tower that forms the superstructure of a church, temple, etc
2. such a tower with the spire above it
3. any spire or pointed structure

Derived Forms

• ˈsteepled, adjective

Other Words From

• steepled adjective
• steeple·less adjective
• steeple·like adjective
• un·steepled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of steeple¹

before 1000; Middle English stepel steeple, tower, Old English stēpel tower. See steep ¹, -le

Word History and Origins

Origin of steeple¹

Old English stēpel; see steep ¹

Example Sentences

Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez won the triple jump and Uganda’s Peruth Chemutai won the steeple chase.

From Seattle Times

“The incredible thing about those world records is the versatility it takes — the speed for the 3,000 and the skill of the steeple, and then the far reaches of the 10,000. You just don’t see that kind of range.”

From New York Times

“The incredible thing about those world records is the versatility it takes — the speed for the 3,000 and the skill of the steeple and then the far reaches of the 10,000. You just don’t see that kind of range.”

From Seattle Times

This is the moment a church roof and steeple collapsed in New London, Connecticut.

From BBC

One of the biggest churches in Demoso was hit in 2022, with helicopter gunships directly firing rockets and heavy machine guns into the church steeple.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• cupola
• minaret
• spire
• turret