steeple
/ˈstiːpl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈstiːpl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstē-pəl/ (ame, mw)
steeple — noun
- steeplesingular
- steeplesplural
1. the tall part of a church building formed by the tower and its pointed top toget
the tall part of a church building formed by the tower and its pointed top together.
From the farm road, Omar could see the white steeple above the trees.
landmark use: see the steeple above the trees
Workers climbed the church steeple to replace the metal cross before winter.
pattern: climb the church steeple
At noon, the old steeple cast a long shadow across the empty square.
After the fire, only the stone steeple was still standing behind the church.
During the snowstorm, the steeple bell kept ringing over the dark town.
- spire
means only the pointed top, not the tower below it
- bell tower
focuses on the tower that holds bells and may not have a pointed top
- tower
a broader word for any tall structure, religious or not
文法句型
a/an + steeple
the + steeple
用法筆記
Usually refers to a church structure as a whole. If you mean only the narrow pointed top, spire is the more exact word.