a device for producing a strong current of air, consisting of a chamber that can be expanded to draw in air through a valve and contracted to expel it through a tube.
anything resembling or suggesting bellows in form, as the collapsible part of a camera or enlarger.
the lungs.
Also called: pair of bellows. an instrument consisting of an air chamber with flexible sides or end, a means of compressing it, an inlet valve, and a constricted outlet that is used to create a stream of air, as for producing a draught for a fire or for sounding organ pipes
photog a telescopic light-tight sleeve, connecting the lens system of some cameras to the body of the instrument
a flexible corrugated element used as an expansion joint, pump, or means of transmitting axial motion
before 900; Middle English bel(o ) wes (plural), Old English belg, short for blǣst belg, plural belgas blast-bag; cognate with Dutch blaasbalg, German Blasebalg, Old Norse belgr. See belly
A bellows is a bag-like device with handles that's used to blow air onto a fire to keep the flame burning. If you have a fireplace in your house, you might have a bellows too. The kind of bellows that provides extra oxygen to a dwindling fire is similar to other types of bellows: they all involve a bag of air. Various instruments use a bellows, to provide a constant flow of air. Accordions, some organs, and bagpipes all have this kind of bellows. In the 13th century, the word was belwes, literally "bags," from the Old English belg, "bag or purse."
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This spring, Democratic gubernatorial candidates Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson and Hannah Pingree announced that they would rank each other on their ballots and encouraged supporters to do the same.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
Tony Bellows, editor of parish magazine La Baguette, said he felt social housing could be improved.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Ms. Bellows is a historian and the author of “The Explorers: A New History of America in Ten Expeditions.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
Immediately after the prom at Lure, Behnam and her classmates ventured to Bootsy Bellows, a velvet-roped club in West Hollywood, which Milken student organizers had booked for the Bel-Air school’s after-prom party.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2024
He said in a pleasant tone, “Why, I know Bellows and Harvey, know them well. I wonder what they want?”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
