The tall pointed tower on top of a church. Picture a village church in England: the square stone tower, and then the long thin spike going up into the sky. The whole thing — tower plus spike — is the steeple.

The tall pointed tower on top of a church教堂頂上那座高高尖尖的塔Picture a village church in England想像英國一座鄉間教堂 the square stone tower方形的石塔 and then the long thin spike going up into the sky上面接著一根細長的尖頂直插天空The whole thing — tower plus spike整個東西——塔加上尖頂—— is the steeple就是steeple

People often use 'steeple' and 'spire' as if they were the same word, and in ordinary talk nobody will correct you, but strictly the spire is only the pointed part at the top, and the steeple is the tower with the spire on it.

People often use 'steeple' and 'spire' as if they were the same word大家常把'steeple'和'spire'當成同一個詞來用 and in ordinary talk nobody will correct you平常這樣講也沒人會糾正你 but strictly the spire is only the pointed part at the top但嚴格說spire只是最上面那根尖的部分 and the steeple is the tower with the spire on it而steeple是連塔身帶尖頂的整體

The steeple usually holds the bells. Because a steeple is the tallest thing in an old town, the word carries a feeling of being able to see it from far away — 'you can see the steeple from the next village'.

The steeple usually holds the bellssteeple裡面通常裝著鐘Because a steeple is the tallest thing in an old town因為steeple常是老城裡最高的東西 the word carries a feeling of being able to see it from far away這個詞帶著一種遠遠就能看見的感覺 'you can see the steeple from the next village'像'you can see the steeple from the next village'（從隔壁村就能看到那座尖塔）

It is almost always a church word; you would not call the pointed roof of a house a steeple.

It is almost always a church word這幾乎一定是跟教堂有關的詞 you would not call the pointed roof of a house a steeple你不會把一般房子的尖屋頂叫做steeple

There is also a rarer verb, to steeple your fingers — to press your fingertips together so your hands make a shape like a pointed roof. Business people do this in meetings when they want to look thoughtful.

There is also a rarer verb還有一個比較少見的動詞 to steeple your fingers就是to steeple your fingers to press your fingertips together so your hands make a shape like a pointed roof把指尖壓在一起讓雙手做出像尖屋頂的形狀Business people do this in meetings商務人士在開會時會這樣做 when they want to look thoughtful想表現出若有所思的樣子時