a spire [spire is given as the name of the reed and of various spiked grasses. The word is also used of tapering trees, Prompt. Parv. spyre of corne or herbe hastula, spyryn UNCERTAIN as corne and oþer lyke spico. Imeind mid spire and grene segge, O. and N. 18. The word occurs in Chaucer and Piers Plowman. Icel. spíra a spar: Dan. spire a sprout; spir a spar: Swed. spira a spar; a sceptre; a pistil.] spir