A steeple is a tall, pointed tower that rises from the roof of a church or other building. If you've ever seen a church with a tower that stretches high into the sky and ends in a sharp point, you've seen a steeple. Many steeples have bells inside them that ring to call people to worship or mark the hours of the day.

Steeples became common on European churches during the Middle Ages, when they served both practical and symbolic purposes. Their height made them visible from miles away, helping travelers find their way to town. The upward-pointing shape also reminded people to look heavenward. In many towns and cities, the church steeple was the tallest structure for centuries, dominating the skyline until modern skyscrapers appeared.

The word has inspired phrases too. A steeplechase is a horse race with obstacles, named because early races used distant steeples as finish-line markers. When you press your fingertips together with your palms apart, that hand position is called steepling because your fingers form a shape like a steeple's point.