bell

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈbel 

1

a

: a hollow metallic device that gives off a reverberating sound when struck

b

: doorbell

2

a

: the sounding of a bell as a signal

b

: a stroke of a bell (as on shipboard) to indicate the time

also : the time so indicated

c

: a half hour period of a watch on shipboard indicated by the strokes of a bell see Ship's Bells Table

3

: something having the form of a bell: such as

a

: the corolla of a flower

b

: a bell-shaped organ or part (such as the dewlap of a moose)

especially : the bell- or saucer-shaped, largely gelatinous structure that forms the main part of the body of most jellyfish : umbrella entry 1 sense 3

c

: the part of the capital of a column between the abacus and neck molding

d

: the flared end of a wind instrument

e

: the open mouth of a nozzle (such as of the exhaust of a jet engine)

The heating was so intense … that the gas went rushing out the tail of the engine at 30,000 feet per second, or twice the speed at which exhaust leaves the bell of a conventional engine.

—Jeffrey Kluger

4

a

: a percussion instrument consisting of metal bars or tubes that when struck give out tones resembling bells

—usually used in plural

b

: glockenspiel

see also:

get one's bell rung give (someone) a bell

bell

2 of 4

verb (1)

belled; belling; bells

transitive verb

1

: to provide with a bell

2

: to flare the end of (something, such as a tube) into the shape of a bell

intransitive verb

: to take the form of a bell : flare

see also:

bell the cat

bell

3 of 4

verb (2)

belled; belling; bells

intransitive verb

: to make a resonant bellowing or baying sound

… the wild buck bells from ferny brake …

—Sir Walter Scott

bell

4 of 4

noun (2)

: bellow, roar

Examples of bell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Markets without a closing bell lack the anchor that net asset value calculations, margin requirements and index rebalancing have relied on for as long as those processes have existed. — Mike Cahill, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Thursday’s ceremony followed Honeywell Aerospace CEO Jim Currier ringing the Nasdaq opening bell in late June, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. — Chase Jordan july 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026

David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Shares of Alphabet and Tesla are lower before the bell after the companies reported quarterly results on one of the sector's first key earnings days this season. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 23 July 2026

Waning interest in Tesla sales Tesla reported somewhat disappointing earnings after the bell Wednesday despite a good quarter for its car sales. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English belle, from Old English; perhaps akin to Old English bellan to roar — more at bellow

Verb (2)

Middle English, going back to Old English bellan "to roar" — more at bellow

Noun (2)

noun derivative of bell entry 3

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1510, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bell

• (as) clear as a bell
• (as) sound as a bell
• bell-bottoms
• bell buoy
• bell captain
• bell curve
• bell jar
• bell-lyra
• bell lyre
• bell metal
• bell pepper
• bell push
• bell-shaped
• bell the cat
• bell tower
• Canterbury bell
• diving bell
• get one's bell rung
• give (someone) a bell
• have one's bell rung
• ring a bell
• Sanctus bell
• silver bell
• sleigh bell
• wind-bell

Rhymes for bell

• bel
• belle
• cel
• cell
• dell
• dwell
• el
• ell
• fel
• fell
• gel
• gell

Kids Definition

bell

1 of 2 noun

ˈbel 

1

: a hollow usually cup-shaped metallic device that makes a ringing sound when struck

2

: the stroke or sound of a bell that tells the hour

3

: a half hour period of a watch on shipboard indicated by the strokes of a bell

4

: something (as a flower or the mouth of a trumpet) shaped like a bell

bell

2 of 2 verb

1

: to provide with a bell

bell a cat

2

: to take the form of a bell : flare

Geographical Definition

Bell

geographical name

ˈbel 

city in southwestern California southeast of Los Angeles population 35,477

Biographical Definition

Bell

biographical name

ˈbel 

Alexander Graham 1847–1922 American (Scottish-born) inventor