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Webster 1913 Edition

Steeple

Stee′ple

(stē′p’l)
,
Noun.
[OE.
stepel
, AS.
stēpel
,
stȳpel
; akin to E.
steep
, a.]
(Arch.)
A spire; also, the tower and spire taken together; the whole of a structure if the roof is of spire form. See
Spire
.
“A weathercock on a steeple.”
Shak.
Rood steeple
.
See
Rood tower
, under
Rood
.
–
Steeple bush
(Bot.)
,
a low shrub (
Spiraea tomentosa
) having dense panicles of minute rose-colored flowers; hardhack.
–
Steeple chase
,
a race across country between a number of horsemen, to see which can first reach some distant object, as a church steeple; hence, a race over a prescribed course obstructed by such obstacles as one meets in riding across country, as hedges, walls, etc.
–
Steeple chaser
,
one who rides in a steeple chase; also, a horse trained to run in a steeple chase.
–
Steeple engine
,
a vertical back-acting steam engine having the cylinder beneath the crosshead.
–
Steeple house
,
a church.
[Obs.]
Jer. Taylor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Steeple

STEEPLE

,
Noun.
A turret of a church, ending in a point; a spire. It differs from a tower, which usually ends in a square form, thought the name is sometimes given to a tower. The bell of a church is usually hung in the steeple.
They, far from steeples and their sacred sound---

Definition 2024

steeple

steeple

English

A steeple.

Alternative forms

Noun

steeple ‎(plural steeples)

  1. A tall tower, often on a church, normally topped with a spire.
  2. A spire.

Translations

Verb

steeple ‎(third-person singular simple present steeples, present participle steepling, simple past and past participle steepled)

  1. (transitive) To form something into the shape of a steeple.
    He steepled his fingers as he considered the question.

Etymology

Middle English stepel from Old English stipel, stypel, stepel, akin to Old English steap.

Pronunciation

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