English Explanatory Dictionary

belfry

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A tower or steeple typically containing bells, especially as part of a church.
  2. A part of a large tower or steeple, specifically for containing bells.
  3. A shed.
  4. A movable tower used in sieges.
  5. An alarm-tower; a watchtower possibly containing an alarm-bell.

Pronunciation

/ˈbɛlfɹi/ bĕlʹfrē LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-belfry.wav

Word forms

belfry belfries

Etymology

From Middle English belfry, bellfray, belfray, berfrey, barfray, from Old French belfroi, berfroi, berfrey, from Late Latin berfrēdus, from Frankish *bergafriþu, from Proto-Germanic *bergafriþuz, equivalent to barrow + frith. English forms containing bel- as opposed to ber- were preferred due to false association with English bell. Cognate with Middle High German bërcvrit, bërvrit (“defensive tower”) (modern German Bergfried), Middle Dutch bergfrede, bergfert. Doublet of bergfried.

Derived words

belfried have bats in one's belfry have bats in the belfry

Translations

Bulgarian: камбанария Catalan: campanar Chinese Mandarin: 鐘樓 /钟楼 Danish: klokketårn Dutch: klokkentoren Dutch: belfort Finnish: kellotorni French: beffroi Friulian: cjampanîli Friulian: cjampanili Friulian: cjampanîl Friulian: cjampanil German: Glockenturm Greek: καμπαναριό Greek: κωδωνοστάσιο Hungarian: harangtorony Irish: clogás Istriot: canpaneîl Istriot: canpanèil Italian: campanile Japanese: 鐘楼 Macedonian: камбанарија Manx: claggys Manx: thie cluig Manx: shamyr chluig Māori: pourewa pere Pannonian Rusyn: дзвонїца Polish: dzwonnica Portuguese: campanário Portuguese: torre sineira Romansh: clutger Romansh: clucher Russian: колоко́льня Spanish: campanil Spanish: campanario Spanish: clochel Spanish: espadaña Swedish: klocktorn Swedish: klockstapel Tagalog: batingawan Ottoman Turkish: چاكلق Ukrainian: дзвіни́ця Venetan: canpanil Venetan: canpanile Venetan: canpanièl Venetan: canpaniłe Welsh: clochdy
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