doorbell
Americannoun
-
doorbells
plural
verb (used without object)
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of doorbell
Explanation
A doorbell is a signal that a visitor can use to let you know they're at your door. Most doorbells have a small button that rings a bell inside the house when it's pushed. Your doorbell might emit a long chiming ring, even playing part of a song, or it may make a harsh buzzing sound. Doorbells tend to be louder than a simple knock on the door, and often they can be heard throughout a house or apartment. The very first doorbells were developed by the Scottish inventor William Murdock in the early 19th century.
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.
See Examples For:
Her chaotic entrance involved a twisted headphone cord, a doorbell, a food delivery and a barking dog.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
The fridge camera can track your groceries, and the doorbell camera clears up any confusion around who might be at your door while you’re away.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
This was around the time that Amazon's Ring, a doorbell camera firm, cancelled a partnership with Flock after an outcry over a Super Bowl advert which sparked concern about unwanted surveillance.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Nancy had installed a Nest doorbell camera to keep an eye out for them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Then the front doorbell sounded through the house.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
Smart ovens, refrigerators, and doorbells have all gotten the camera treatment, attempting to close the gaps of mystery in our daily lives.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp wants to make it a requirement for officers to run images of suspects through facial recognition software, where they have been captured on CCTV, mobile phones or camera doorbells.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
Researcher Felix Morsbach notes that intelligence agencies or cybercriminals currently have easier ways to monitor people, including hacked security cameras or internet connected doorbells.
From Science Daily ● May 23, 2026
It’s not a leap to imagine millions of coordinated video doorbells being used for a similar purpose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
They have one of those video security doorbells.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
