belle
noun
a woman or girl admired for her beauty and charm.
belle
1 American
[bel]
/ bɛl /
noun
-
a woman or girl admired for her beauty and charm.
-
the most beautiful, charming, or engaging woman or girl among a number.
the belle of the ball.
Belle
2
American
[bel]
/ bɛl /
noun
belle
British
/ bɛl /
noun
-
a beautiful girl or woman
-
the most attractive or admired girl or woman at a place, function, etc (esp in the phrase the belle of the ball )
Etymology
Origin of belle
1615–25; < French; Old French bele < Latin bella, feminine of bellus fine, good-looking. See beau
Explanation
A belle is a young woman singled out for being more attractive and charming than other women, as in the phrase belle of the ball. Cinderella was the belle of the ball, at least until midnight. Belle comes from the Latin bella for “beautiful.” If you ever hear a woman being called a belle, it has nothing to do with ringing; she's super foxy. A Southern Belle is a lovely girl from the South, like Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. A belle can be from anywhere, though, as long as she stands out. A belle has rivals, but she is more attractive and desirable. The belle is a little like the prom queen.
Vocabulary lists containing belle
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
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"Girls Like Us" by Gail Giles
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Ben and Me
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!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In his quest to transform Kimberly-Clark to an engine of growth and a true challenger in the beauty and wellness space, he said he always considered Kenvue to be “the belle of the ball.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025
During the Comic Con panel, Evans called the festivities “wonderful and beautiful,” but said that he and his belle were happy to be winding down after the whole ordeal.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 28, 2025
Many of them were built in the early 20th century - grand belle epoque palaces serving a then emerging class of privileged, primarily English tourists.
From BBC • Mar. 2, 2025
Nor is she the family-friendly belle seen in the 2022 family-friendly musical “The Lincolns of Springfield.”
From New York Times • Feb. 7, 2024
Robbie was there, too, bustling about in a floral-print dress like the belle of the ball—albeit a matronly belle—making sure all her students had arrived with sheet music in hand.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
