How to pronounce bell
Say it like BEL. Bell is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce bell. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- BEL
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Bell pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- BELSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of bell
American and British speakers say bell in essentially the same way: /bɛl/ in the US and /bɛl/ in the UK.
British respelling: BEL.
What does bell mean?
- a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
- a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed
- the sound of a bell being struck“saved by the bell”“she heard the distant toll of church bells”
- attach a bell to“bell cows”
Where does bell come from?
Cognate with West Frisian belle, bel (“bell”), Dutch bel (“bell”), Low German Belle, Bel (“bell”), Danish bjælde (“bell”), Faroese bjølla (“bell”), Icelandic bjalla (“bell”), Norwegian bjelle (“bell”), Swedish bjällra (“bell”).
Words that rhyme with bell
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of bell.
Words that sound like bell
Questions about saying bell
How do you pronounce bell?
Say BEL. The American pronunciation is /bɛl/. In British English it is /bɛl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in bell?
Bell is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: BEL.
Do Americans and Brits say bell the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /bɛl/ and the British form is /bɛl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as bell?
Bell sounds the same as belle in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.