cowbell

[ kou-bel ]

noun

1. a bell hung around a cow's cow neck to indicate its whereabouts.
2. the bladder campion.

cowbell

/ ˈkaʊˌbɛl /

noun

1. a bell hung around a cow's neck so that the cow can be easily located
2. a metal percussion instrument usually mounted on the bass drum or hand-held and struck with a drumstick
3. another name for bladder campion

Word History and Origins

Origin of cowbell¹

First recorded in 1805–15; cow ¹ + bell ¹

Example Sentences

Turnstile’s aesthetic has opened wide enough to accommodate pastel Coachella synths, jittery punk-funk cowbells, more than one cameo from Dev Hynes of Blood Orange and more — often without forfeiting the music’s emotional center.

From Washington Post

Ferrell pulled out his iconic cowbell from the classic Blue Oÿster Cult SNL skit—and played the hell out of it!

From The Daily Beast

Not even the breachiest of breachy young heifers could be expected to tinkle a cowbell with such briskness.

From Project Gutenberg

And he could see a bell too—an undersized cowbell—that dangled at the creature's breast and jangled incessantly.

From Project Gutenberg

I kin see him plain as day—he's got an old cowbell hitched to his neck; and he's shy a couple of feathers out of one wing.

From Project Gutenberg

There was silence in the room, broken only by the ticking of the old clock and the tinkle of a distant cowbell.

From Project Gutenberg

There is the tinkling of a cowbell,—a noise how peevishly discordant were it close at hand, but even musical now.

From Project Gutenberg