Definition of BELFRY

belfry

Meanings

Plural: belfries

Noun

  • a bell tower; usually stands alone unattached to a building
  • a room (often at the top of a tower) where bells are hung
  • A tower or steeple typically containing bells, especially as part of a church.
  • A part of a large tower or steeple, specifically for containing bells.
  • A shed.
  • A movable tower used in sieges.
  • An alarm-tower; a watchtower possibly containing an alarm-bell.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English belfrey, bellfray, belfray, from Old French belfroi, berfroi, berfrey (changed to have an ⟨l⟩ by association with bell), from Middle High German bërcvrit or bërvrit (“defensive tower”) (modern German Bergfried), possibly via Late Latin berefredus, from Proto-Germanic *bergafriþuz. Doublet of bergfried.

Synonyms

campanile

Scrabble Score: 14

belfry is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
belfry is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
belfry is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

belfry is a valid Words With Friends word