SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

belle

noun
Save Word
\ ˈbel How to pronounce belle (audio) \

Definition of belle

: a popular and attractive girl or woman especially : a girl or woman whose charm and beauty make her a favorite the belle of the ball

Examples of belle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The legendary Tony-winning actress is bringing her voice to Tennessee Williams' fading Southern belle, Blanche DuBois, in A Streetcar Named Desire. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Hear Audra McDonald in A Streetcar Named Desire clip from the Williamstown Theatre Festival," 2 Dec. 2020 Jena Malone walks an expert line between razored, genteel condescension and hateful resentment as a poisonous Southern belle named Elizabeth, arguably the film’s most fearsome character. — Tribune News Service, cleveland, "Review: Janelle Monáe can’t save ‘Antebellum’ from its hollow, high-concept horrors," 22 Sep. 2020 What was once a middle school art project completed during the pandemic became, for a short while, the belle of McAllister Park and a social media sensation. — Richard A. Marini, ExpressNews.com, "Deer sculpture at McAllister Park in San Antonio fondly remembered by its many fans after its untimely destruction.," 15 Sep. 2020 That had major appeal for Cattrall, who stars as Margaret, a Southern belle with a dash of Tennessee Williams vulnerability. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Kim Cattrall and Tate Taylor on bringing shock, awe, and sex to religion in Filthy Rich," 14 Sep. 2020 Become the belle of any party you to or relax at home with your favorite books. — Seventeen.com Editors, Seventeen, "44 Easy Disney Halloween Costumes That Will Make You Cry Tears of Nostalgia," 29 July 2020 But Griffen’s spin move is really the belle of the ball, just ask Tyron Smith (above clip). — John Owning, Dallas News, "Jadeveon Clowney isn’t the free agent DE who Cowboys fans should be clamoring for," 3 July 2020 Diana Morgan was a pampered Southern belle in a small North Carolina town who knew nothing about the struggles of the black cooks and maids who served her family. — John Blake, CNN, "What Americans who beat the Great Depression can teach us today," 7 May 2020 Who were some your favorite red carpet slay belles of 2019? — Shalwah Evans, Essence, "Slay Belles: 20 Celebrities Who Won Red Carpet Beauty In 2019," 30 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'belle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of belle

1622, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for belle

French, from feminine of beau beautiful — more at beau

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about belle

Time Traveler for belle

Time Traveler

The first known use of belle was in 1622

See more words from the same year

Statistics for belle

Last Updated

7 Dec 2020

Cite this Entry

“Belle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/belle. Accessed 28 Jan. 2021.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for belle

belle

noun
How to pronounce belle (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of belle

old-fashioned : a very attractive and popular girl or woman

See the full definition for belle in the English Language Learners Dictionary

belle

noun
\ ˈbel How to pronounce belle (audio) \

Kids Definition of belle

: an attractive and popular girl or woman

More from Merriam-Webster on belle

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for belle

Nglish: Translation of belle for Spanish Speakers

Comments on belle

What made you want to look up belle? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

jeopardy

Listen to the pronunciation of jeopardy

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times

  • ducreux self portrait yawning
  • What is an earlier meaning of nice?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games