belfry
American Heritage Dictionary:
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bel·fry
(bĕl'frē) 
n., pl., -fries.
n., pl., -fries.
- A bell tower, especially one attached to a building.
- The part of a tower or steeple in which bells are hung.
[Middle English belfrei, from Old North French belfroi, alteration of Old French berfrei, berfroi.]
belfried bel'fried adj.WORD HISTORY The words bell and belfry seem obviously related, but in fact the bel- portion of belfry had nothing to do with bells until comparatively recently. Belfry goes back to a compound formed in prehistoric Common Germanic. It is generally agreed that the second part of this compound is the element *frij-, meaning "peace, safety." The first element is either *bergan, "to protect," which would yield a compound meaning "a defensive place of shelter," or *berg-, "a high place," which would yield a compound meaning "a high place of safety, tower." Whatever the meaning of the original Germanic source, its Old French descendant berfrei, which first meant "siege tower," came to mean "watchtower." Presumably because bells were used in these towers, the word was applied to bell towers as well. The Old North French alteration belfroi, which reminded English speakers of their native word belle (our bell), entered Middle English with the sense "bell tower."
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Bell tower, either freestanding or attached to another structure. More particularly it refers to the room, usually at the top of such a tower, where the bells and their supporting timberwork are hung. The belfry is a prominent feature of Belgian Gothic architecture, especially in Flanders. The Halles (Market Hall) and belfry in Brugge (late 13th century) is a typical example. The term derives from the medieval siege tower (berfrei), a tall wooden structure that could be rolled up to a fortification wall so that the warriors hidden inside could storm the battlements.
For more information on belfry, visit Britannica.com.
1. A bell tower, either attached to a church or standing alone.
2. A timber framework in a steeple that supports a bell.
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[MC]
A tower or wooden structure, sometimes simply a frame, in which bells are hung so that when rung the sound can escape. Often associated with churches and religious sites, early examples are often freestanding structures away from the church building itself. In Ireland the tall round towers associated with monastic sites were probably used as belfries as well as refuges. The tradition of incorporating the bell-tower into the main church structure dates to the period after the 11th century ad.
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'belfry'
- Roofs and Towers - belfry: tower, cupola, or turret in which bell is housed
See crossword solutions for the clue Translations:
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Belfry
Dansk (Danish)
n. - klokketårn
Nederlands (Dutch)
klokkenstoel, klokkentoren
Français (French)
n. - clocher, beffroi
Deutsch (German)
n. - Glockenturm
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - καμπαναριό, κωδωνοστάσιο
Português (Portuguese)
n. - campanário (m)
Español (Spanish)
n. - campanario, campanil
Svenska (Swedish)
n. - klocktorn, klockstapel
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
钟楼, 钟塔
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 鐘樓, 鐘塔
idioms:
- have bats in your belfry 気違いじみている
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) برج الناقوس,
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - מגדל פעמון
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