Dictionary

tower en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

[ˈtɑːə] triphthong smoothing
touʹər
/ˈtaʊɚ/ (General-American)
/ˈtuː.ɐ/ (Northumbria)
/ˈtaʊ.ə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
[ˈtɑː] triphthong smoothing
(US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English tour, tur, tor, from Old English tūr, tor, torr ("tower; rock"; > English tor) and Old French tour, toer, tor; both from Latin turris (“a tower”), Ancient Greek τύρρις (túrrhis) (Hesychius), τύρσις (túrsis). Displaced native Middle English stepel for the general sense of "tower". Compare Scots tour, towr, towre (“tower”), West Frisian toer (“tower”), Dutch toren (“tower”), German Turm (“tower”), Danish tårn (“tower”), Swedish torn (“tower”), Icelandic turn (“tower”), Welsh tŵr. Doublet of tor, tourelle, and turret.

Meanings

A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure.
- The clock tower above your apartment tolls, ringing twice. [...People] examine the bells with tuning fork and soundhorn, and scurry about with clipboard and blueprint, [but] they do not appear to be in the process of repairing or maintaining the bell-tower at all. 2011, Margaret Killjoy, What Lies Beneath the Clock Tower:
- an observation tower, an isolated watch tower, a church tower, conning tower
- The valley is closed in at the lower end by the village, the church tower and a few roofs being visible through the trees; […] 1878, Harold Lewis, The Church Rambler: A Series of Articles on the Churches..., page 440:
- […] an isolated watch-tower still stands above the highway as it passes around the lowest ridge extending from the castle. Called Burj al-Sabi ('Tower of the Youth'), it protected the access to the castle's port […] 2009, Ross Burns, The Monuments of Syria: A Guide, page 235:
A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. ▸ A very tall open-framed structure on which communications devices are installed.
- signal tower, radio tower, cell tower
A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. ▸ A similarly framed structure with a platform or enclosed area on top.
- observation tower, watch tower
A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. ▸ A control tower.
A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. ▸ A skyscraper.
- He'd taken her to see […] The Towering Inferno […] She imagined the screen itself must be hot as the burning San Francisco tower. […] She expected the screen to go up in a sheath of flame as the Glass Tower had, expected sparks to leap from the aluminum into the surrounding hayfields, […] 2022 January 25, Morgan Thomas, Manywhere: Stories, Macmillan + ORM, →ISBN:
- The Sears Tower
(figuratively) An item of various kinds, such as a computer case, that is higher than it is wide.
(figuratively) A strong refuge; a defence.
- Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 61:3:
- A group of giraffes is called a tower. 2019 June 6, “A gaggle, a confusion and a conspiracy - bizarre animal collective group names”, in BBC:
Each of a set of information technology concerns within a business, which are treated separately so that they can be handled by different providers.
- Suppliers compete separately for the towers and service integrator and management contract, which assists the government in the integration and operation of its services. 2013, Great Britain, The Impact of Government's ICT Savings Initiatives, National Audit Office, page 28:
- Service towers are significant IT functional areas, such as infrastructure, applications, security, etc., each possibly managed by a different service provider. The service integrator role is crucial for coordinating and integrating these service towers. 2023, Cybellium Ltd, Mastering ISO-IEC 20000-1, page 108:
The sixteenth named (trump or Major Arcana) card in many Tarot decks, usually deemed an ill omen.
The nineteenth Lenormand card, representing structure, bureaucracy, stability and loneliness.
(collective) A group of giraffes.
- Observe a tower of giraffes feeding on acacia leaves and oxpeckers combing giraffes' coats for parasites 2026 July 12, “Observe a tower of giraffes feeding on acacia leaves and oxpeckers combing giraffes' coats for parasites”, in Britannica, archived from the original on 29 Jul 2026:
- A tower of giraffes at the Houston Zoo. 2026 April 30, Lakisha Lemons, “A behind the scenes look at the new things coming to the Houston Zoo”, in Spectrum Local News, archived from the original on 29 Jul 2026:
- Towers of giraffes will walk nine miles or more every day to find all the food they need to eat. 2019, Chelsea Clinton, Don't Let Them Disappear: 12 Endangered Species Across the Globe, Penguin Young Readers Group:
A metal stand used as a pivot to support a punty at a furnace.
(historical) A tall fashionable headdress worn in the time of King William III and Queen Anne.
- Lay trains of amorous intrigues / In towers, and curls, and periwigs. 1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC:
(obsolete) High flight; elevation.
- Nigh in her sight The Bird of Jove, stoopt from his aerie tour, Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove. 1667, John Milton, “Book XI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
towers	Number=Plur		lexicographic
towre		alternative	lexicographic

Translations (252)

ti ጸብለለ (tall, narrow structure) · lmo tór (tall, narrow structure) · tt каланча (tall, narrow structure) · nl toren ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · cs věž ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · th หอ (tall, narrow structure) · cs věž ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · ug مۇنار (tall, narrow structure) · nds-de Toorn (tall, narrow structure) · id menara (tall, narrow structure) · fr tour (tall, narrow structure) · km ប្រាង្គ (tall, narrow structure) · tg бурҷ (tall, narrow structure) · la turris (tall, narrow structure) · kmr birc (tall, narrow structure) · uz vishka (tall, narrow structure) · sk veža (tall, narrow structure) · bn মিনার (tall, narrow structure) · qu turri (tall, narrow structure) · orv вѣжа (tall, narrow structure) · hi अटारी (tall, narrow structure) · cdo 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · sco tour ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · oc torre (tall, narrow structure) · de Turm ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · mos gãosgo (tall, narrow structure) · ne टावर (tall, narrow structure) · ur بُرْج (tall, narrow structure) · jv menara (tall, narrow structure) · hsb bašta (tall, narrow structure) · lv tornis (tall, narrow structure) · mt borġ (tall, narrow structure) · it torre (tall, narrow structure) · an torraza (tall, narrow structure) · ko 탑 (tall, narrow structure) · orv нꙑръ (tall, narrow structure) · ru тура́ (tall, narrow structure) · be вы́шка (tall, narrow structure) · prs بُرْج (tall, narrow structure) · mnp 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · hi बुर्ज (tall, narrow structure) · ady щэчанэ (tall, narrow structure) · gd tùr ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · lt bokštas (tall, narrow structure) · pt casa de Deus ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · cu трѣмъ (tall, narrow structure) · gl caramanchel (tall, narrow structure) · ms menara (tall, narrow structure) · dsb torm (tall, narrow structure) · hi टावर (tall, narrow structure) · gd tùr (tall, narrow structure) · an torre (tall, narrow structure) · clt ingsuo (tall, narrow structure) · br tour (tall, narrow structure) · uk ви́шка (tall, narrow structure) · ro turlă ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · sl stolp (tall, narrow structure) · de Turm (tall, narrow structure) · cu ⱄⱅⰾⱏⱂⱏ (tall, narrow structure) · eo turo (tall, narrow structure) · ja 塔 ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · is turn (tall, narrow structure) · ko 탑 ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · cmn 塔樓 /塔楼 (tall, narrow structure) · ig ulọ aja (tall, narrow structure) · scn turri (tall, narrow structure) · ti ግምቢ (tall, narrow structure) · cu ⱄⱏⰺⱀⱏ (tall, narrow structure) · ja タワー ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · cmn 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · wuu 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · rsk турня (tall, narrow structure) · km ប៉ម (tall, narrow structure) · ba башня (tall, narrow structure) · ast torre (tall, narrow structure) · uz burj (tall, narrow structure) · az bürc (tall, narrow structure) · te బురుజు (tall, narrow structure) · tr kule (tall, narrow structure) · kn ಮೇರುವೆ (tall, narrow structure) · vi tháp (tall, narrow structure) · tg манора (tall, narrow structure) · ky мунара (tall, narrow structure) · ba манара (tall, narrow structure) · sv torn ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · cu ⱅⱃⱑⰿⱏ (tall, narrow structure) · uk ве́жа (tall, narrow structure) · pl stołp (bergfried) (tall, narrow structure) · fa-ira بُرْج (tall, narrow structure) · fo torn (tall, narrow structure) · ca torre ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · sh tóranj (tall, narrow structure) · ca la torre ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · ru ба́шня ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · da tårn ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · gsw Durm (tall, narrow structure) · bg ку́ла (tall, narrow structure) · sw mnara (tall, narrow structure) · es crochel (tall, narrow structure) · ko 타워 (tall, narrow structure) · am ግንብ (tall, narrow structure) · he מִגְדָּל (tall, narrow structure) · li toeare (tall, narrow structure) · ak abantenten (tall, narrow structure) · pt Casa de Deus ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · pt torre (tall, narrow structure) · ang stīepel (tall, narrow structure) · lo ຫໍ (tall, narrow structure) · ce бӏов (tall, narrow structure) · yue 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · pro torre (tall, narrow structure) · sv torn (tall, narrow structure) · mk кула (tall, narrow structure) · bo ཁང་ཀྲོང (tall, narrow structure) · el πύργος (tall, narrow structure) · uz bashnya (tall, narrow structure) · fr la maison dieu ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · bn বুরুজ (tall, narrow structure) · rm tur (tall, narrow structure) · eu dorre (tall, narrow structure) · az qüllə (tall, narrow structure) · chr ᎡᏆ (tall, narrow structure) · te గోపురము (tall, narrow structure) · be ве́жа (tall, narrow structure) · si කුළුණ (tall, narrow structure) · lb Tuerm (tall, narrow structure) · ml ഗോപുരം (tall, narrow structure) · it il fulmine ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · gl crochel (tall, narrow structure) · fro tor (tall, narrow structure) · sm olo (tall, narrow structure) · my ရဲတိုက် (tall, narrow structure) · pa ਬੁਰਜ (tall, narrow structure) · grc πύργος (tall, narrow structure) · as দুর্গ (tall, narrow structure) · wa tour (tall, narrow structure) · ro turn ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · uga 𐎎𐎂𐎄𐎍 (tall, narrow structure) · nb tårn (tall, narrow structure) · hsb wěža (tall, narrow structure) · cjy 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · be це́рам (tall, narrow structure) · de der Turm ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · av си (tall, narrow structure) · az qala (tall, narrow structure) · mi pūwhara (tall, narrow structure) · ca torre (tall, narrow structure) · es torre ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · yi טורעם (tall, narrow structure) · ca casa de déu ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · cu сꙑнъ (tall, narrow structure) · es torre (tall, narrow structure) · pl baszta (tall, narrow structure) · fi torni ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · ta கோபுரம் (tall, narrow structure) · tk minara (tall, narrow structure) · nl toren ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · mg tilikambo (tall, narrow structure) · sh то́рањ (tall, narrow structure) · pl wieża boga ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · ota برج (tall, narrow structure) · uk те́рем (tall, narrow structure) · sco tour ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · sgs buokšts (tall, narrow structure) · frm tour (tall, narrow structure) · hu torony ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · hrx Torrem (tall, narrow structure) · syc ܡܓܕܠܐ (tall, narrow structure) · acm برج (tall, narrow structure) · mr मनोरा (tall, narrow structure) · pt torre ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · ig ugẹle (tall, narrow structure) · za dap (tall, narrow structure) · nl toren (tall, narrow structure) · ja タワー (tall, narrow structure) · hy աշտարակ (tall, narrow structure) · sq kullë (tall, narrow structure) · acw بُرْج (tall, narrow structure) · mi pourewa (tall, narrow structure) · ru ба́шня (tall, narrow structure) · pl wieża ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · io turmo (tall, narrow structure) · uz minora (tall, narrow structure) · myv кевмар (tall, narrow structure) · da tårn (tall, narrow structure) · nan-hbl 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · se toardna (tall, narrow structure) · gu બુરજ (tall, narrow structure) · ja 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · cy tŵr (tall, narrow structure) · mt torri (tall, narrow structure) · mhr башне (tall, narrow structure) · th หอคอย (tall, narrow structure) · tk wyşka (tall, narrow structure) · hsn 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · hak 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · ky бурана (tall, narrow structure) · as মিনাৰ (tall, narrow structure) · ilo torre (tall, narrow structure) · ps برج (tall, narrow structure) · tt манара (tall, narrow structure) · kk мұнара (tall, narrow structure) · sa अट्ट (tall, narrow structure) · pl wieża ((figuratively) any item that is higher than it is wide) · ru ве́жа (tall, narrow structure) · pl wieża (tall, narrow structure) · it la torre ((cartomancy) The Tower (Tarot card)) · sco tour (tall, narrow structure) · bo ཁང་པ་མཐོ་པོ་ཀྲོང་ཀྲོང (tall, narrow structure) · pnb مینار (tall, narrow structure) · uk ба́шта (tall, narrow structure) · ka გოდოლი (tall, narrow structure) · hu torony (tall, narrow structure) · lo ຫໍຄອຢ (tall, narrow structure) · ga túr (tall, narrow structure) · cmn 樓閣 /楼阁 (tall, narrow structure) · pnb برج (tall, narrow structure) · myv палманькудо (tall, narrow structure) · ru вы́шка (tall, narrow structure) · ro turn (tall, narrow structure) · az vışka (tall, narrow structure) · dng та (tall, narrow structure) · cs věž (tall, narrow structure) · ur مِینار (tall, narrow structure) · xal цамхаг (tall, narrow structure) · ota قله (tall, narrow structure) · os гӕнах (tall, narrow structure) · es burche (tall, narrow structure) · arz برج (tall, narrow structure) · ne स्तम्भ (tall, narrow structure) · ru те́рем (tall, narrow structure) · roa-opt torre (tall, narrow structure) · cu стлъпъ (tall, narrow structure) · et torn (tall, narrow structure) · nah tlapilkoyan (tall, narrow structure) · myv сярдак (tall, narrow structure) · ar بُرْج (tall, narrow structure) · mi pūhara (tall, narrow structure) · hi लाट (tall, narrow structure) · fy toer (tall, narrow structure) · cmn 樓臺 /楼台 (tall, narrow structure) · pa ਟਾਵਰ (tall, narrow structure) · os мӕсыг (tall, narrow structure) · mn цамхаг (tall, narrow structure) · gl torre (tall, narrow structure) · af toring (tall, narrow structure) · ka კოშკი (tall, narrow structure) · gan 塔 (tall, narrow structure) · bar Tuam (tall, narrow structure) · fi torni (tall, narrow structure) · tl tore (tall, narrow structure) · ur ٹاوَر (tall, narrow structure)

wikipedia: tower

tower en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

From Middle English touren, torren, torrien, from Old English *torrian, from the noun (see above).

Meanings

(intransitive) To be very tall; to reach a high height.
- This is itself a cheerless spot, particularly on a rainy day, when, overshadowed by the great massif of rock that towers in the background, and surrounded by the grey and cheerless quarries, it has a depressing character much in contrast with the green verdure encountered on the northern end of this interesting branch line. 1954 August, H. M. Madgwick, “The Blaenau Festiniog Tunnel”, in Railway Magazine, page 569:
- Think of banking today and the image is of grey-suited men in towering skyscrapers. 2013 August 3, “Revenge of the nerds”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8847:
- The tree will eventually tower taller than any of the others.
- Potentilla and Ivory Daphne sat humpily about on the unfolded lawns, and ahead, there towered out enormous cliffs and fantastic pinnacles of what looked like Dolomite. 1921, Reginald Farrer, chapter 10, in The Rainbow Bridge, London: E. Arnold & Co., page 181:
- The office block towered into the sky.
(intransitive) To be high or lofty; to soar.
- To the left towers the Jungfrau, with the train heading directly towards it. 1960 December, Voyageur, “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 752:
- My lord protector's hawks do tower so well. 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
- When Hope, the eagle that tower’d, could see No cliff beyond him in the sky, His pinions were bent droopingly — And homeward turn’d his soften’d eye. 1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems:
- As we breasted the first summit, the precipitous mass of the Raven's Rock, towering some 250 ft. above the railway, looked grim and forbidding in the failing light, and distant Ben Wyves was shrouded in mist. 1951 January, H. A. Vallance, “Kyle of Lochalsh Revisited”, in Railway Magazine, page 14:
(obsolete, transitive) To soar into.
- Her state with oary feet; yet oft they quit The dank, and, rising on stiff pennons, tower The mid aerial sky 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
towering	Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part		lexicographic
towered	Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part		lexicographic
towered	Tense=Past		lexicographic
towre		alternative	lexicographic
towers	Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres		lexicographic

Deriveds

outtower · towerer · overtower · tower over · uptower

wikipedia: tower

tower en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

(US) audio
/ˈtəʊ.ə(ɹ)/ (UK)
tōʹər
/ˈtoʊ.əɹ/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree English tow Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English tower From tow + -er.

Meanings

One who tows.
- But as the tower and towee reached the cross-roads again, another car, negligently driven, came round the corner, hit the Morris, and severed the tow rope, sending the unfortunate car back again into the shop window[…] 1933, Henry Sturmey, H. Walter Staner, The Autocar:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
towers	Number=Plur		lexicographic
towre		alternative	lexicographic

wikipedia: tower

tower en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Deriveds

Descendants

Relateds

Synonyms

Translations (252)

tower en · VERB · etymology 2

Etymology

Meanings

Forms

Deriveds

tower en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

Etymology

Meanings

Forms