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

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

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

Phrases

get/have one's bell rung

US and Canada, sports, informal

: to be hit on the head : to suffer a concussion

He had his bell rung on a blitz, and a short time later he was taken to Divine Providence Hospital.

—Ralph Wiley

give (someone) a bell

British, informal

: to make a telephone call to

Maybe Cowell can give him a bell towards the end of his marathon broadcast—that would certainly wake him up.

—Mark Jefferies

bell the cat

: to do a daring or risky deed

Examples of bell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

So the streetlight’s gray bells peal in their relentless sooty glow. —Courtney Kampa, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2025

Verbatim bell hooks Writer and academic, teacher and activist. —JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025

Powered by two dry piles—an early type of battery—connected in series, the bell has rung more than 10 billion times since it was set up in 1840. —IEEE Spectrum, 2 Oct. 2025

Let’s Bring Back Fondue Night When fondue pots were at the height of their popularity in the 1970s, everyone would gather around the table in their house clogs and bell bottoms with skewers ready to dip into melty cheese, smooth chocolate, and even piping-hot oil (for cooking small hunks of meat). —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025

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
• 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