Dictionary.com
definitions

bells and whistles

See more synonyms for bells and whistles on Thesaurus.com
plural noun Informal.
  1. features added to a product; special parts or functions; extras.
Sometimes whistles and bells.

Origin of bells and whistles

First recorded in 1970–75
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for bells and whistles

accessories, dressing, trappings, chrome
British Dictionary definitions for bells and whistles

bells and whistles

pl n
  1. additional features or accessories which are nonessential but very attractivemy car has all the latest bells and whistles
  2. additions, such as options or warranties, made to a financial product to increase its market appeal

Word Origin for bells and whistles

C20: from the bells and whistles which used to decorate fairground organs
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012