bell

B1 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /bɛl/ See IPA manual

Homophones

belle /bɛl/

Minimal pairs

Sounds like bail /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/ Sounds like bale /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/

Freq #1203

Meanings

1

noun
A hollow metal object, often cup-shaped, that rings when it is struck.

The church bells rang out across the village.
2

noun
The sound of a bell used as a signal.

The boxer was saved by the bell at the end of the round.
3

verb
To attach a bell to something.

They belled the cows to keep track of them.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 noun · the sound of a bell used as... toll

More tintinnabule

Word family

Forms bells

Derived forms alarm-bellbell-bearerbell-bindbell-bottombell-bottomedbell-bottomsbell-collarbell-endbell-facedbell-founderbell-gablebell-horse

Related forms bell-ringerbell-ringingcampanedcarillonercarilloneurcarillonistringertintinnabularytintinnabulationtintinnabulismtintinnabulisttintinnation

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

bell ringer
a person who rings church bells or plays musical handbells

Noun + noun
heather bell
a low European heather shrub that bears purple-red flowers

Noun + noun

Idioms (3)

See all

ring a bell
to sound familiar or remind you of something
bells and whistles
extra, attractive but non-essential features added to a product
saved by the bell
rescued from an awkward situation at the last moment

Proverbs (1)

See all

You can't unring a bell

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *bellǭ Proto-West Germanic *bellā Old English belle Middle English belle English bell From Middle English belle (“bell”), from Old English belle (“bell”), from Proto-West Germanic *bellā (“bell”), Proto-Germanic *bellǭ (“bell”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to sound”). Cognate with West Frisian belle, bel (“bell”), Dutch bel (“bell”), Low German Belle, Bel (“bell”), Danish bjælde (“bell”), Faroese bjølla (“bell”), Icelandic bjalla (“bell”), Norwegian bjelle (“bell”), Swedish bjällra (“bell”).

belle Old English *bellā Proto-West Germanic *bellǭ Proto-Germanic *bʰel- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Materials & Substances

External links

# bell

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /bɛl/
**Frequency rank:** 1203

## Meanings
1. A hollow metal object, often cup-shaped, that rings when it is struck.
2. The sound of a bell used as a signal.
3. To attach a bell to something.

## Examples
- The church bells rang out across the village.
- The boxer was saved by the bell at the end of the round.
- They belled the cows to keep track of them.

## Synonyms
- tintinnabule

## Derived Forms
- alarm-bell
- bell-bearer
- bell-bind
- bell-bottom
- bell-bottomed
- bell-bottoms
- bell-collar
- bell-end
- bell-faced
- bell-founder
- bell-gable
- bell-horse

## Related Forms
- bell-ringer
- bell-ringing
- campaned
- carilloner
- carilloneur
- carillonist
- ringer
- tintinnabulary
- tintinnabulation
- tintinnabulism
- tintinnabulist
- tintinnation

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: belle
- Root: *bellā
- Root: *bellǭ
- Root: *bʰel-

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-der. Proto-Germanic *bellǭ Proto-West Germanic *bellā Old English belle Middle English belle English bell From Middle English belle (“bell”), from Old English belle (“bell”), from Proto-West Germanic *bellā (“bell”), Proto-Germanic *bellǭ (“bell”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to sound”). Cognate with West Frisian belle, bel (“bell”), Dutch bel (“bell”), Low German Belle, Bel (“bell”), Danish bjælde (“bell”), Faroese bjølla (“bell”), Icelandic bjalla (“bell”), Norwegian bjelle (“bell”), Swedish bjällra (“bell”).

## AI Etymology
Bell comes from Middle English belle (“bell”), from Old English belle (“bell”), from Proto-West Germanic *bellā (“bell”), Proto-Germanic *bellǭ (“bell”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰel- (“to sound”). Cognate with West Frisian belle, bel (“bell”), Dutch bel (“bell”), Low German Belle, Bel (“bell”), Danish bjælde (“bell”), Faroese bjølla (“bell”), Icelandic bjalla (“bell”), Norwegian bjelle (“bell”), Swedish bjällra (“bell”). Bell follows a historical chain through Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-, Proto-Germanic *bellǭ, Proto-West Germanic *bellā, Old English belle, Middle English belle, English bell.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances

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bell

Meanings

Verb forms

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Appears in

Phrases (2)

Idioms (3)

Proverbs (1)

Etymology

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