Big Ben

American  

noun

1. the bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in London, England.

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Big Ben British  

noun

1. the bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, London

2. the clock in this tower

3. the tower

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Big Ben Cultural  

1. The popular name for the huge clock mounted in a tower near the meeting place of the British Parliament in London. Big Ben strikes the quarter-hour with the familiar Westminster chimes.

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Etymology

Origin of Big Ben

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Two weeks before the show, young seamstresses were crocheting floral motifs in mohair and Japanese metallic thread at a south London studio overlooking the Thames river and Big Ben.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The five-year, £80m restoration of the Big Ben tower in London has been nominated for the UK's leading architecture award, alongside a new fashion college campus, a science laboratory and an "inventive" home extension.

From BBC • Sep. 3, 2025

The mostly flat route takes in several other London landmarks, including Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Big Ben.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025

On 10 December, just a stone’s throw from Big Ben, a sound system was set up and protesters started playing Pow!

From BBC • Oct. 25, 2024

Afterward: tea and crumpets at an inexpensive café, then a long, looping stroll that would take them past both Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, London Bridge, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• timer