Tower
/ˈtaʊ.ər/noun
A tall building or structure that rises above its surroundings.
Did you know?English got tower through Old French from Latin turris, a word tied to the ancient Mediterranean world of fortifications and siegecraft, not mysticism—but it still carries that vertical, power-over-the-land energy.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ters-
“To dry; to parch”
Latin
Latin
turris
“A tower; a defensive high structure”
Old French
Old French
tor
“A tower”
Middle English
English
toure
“A tower; a high fortified structure”
Modern English
English
tower
“A tall building or structure rising above its surroundings”