Beldries
/ˈbɛldrɪz/noun
An archaic plural spelling of belfries, meaning towers or upper structures containing bells.
Did you know?The modern word belfry was reshaped by association with bell, but its deeper medieval ancestry likely referred to a fortified or protected tower rather than specifically a bell tower.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*berg- / *bergfrijaz
“A height, fortified place, or protected stronghold; the probable Germanic source behind the medieval tower word.”
Middle High German
MHG
berchfrit
“A tower or fortified structure, literally associated with a protected high place.”
12th Century
Old French
berfrei / berfroi
“A belfry or tower, borrowed from a Germanic term for a fortified tower.”
13th–14th Century
Anglo-French
belfrei / belfroi
“A tower for bells; the form was increasingly influenced by the word bell.”
Middle English
English
beldry / beldrey
“An archaic variant spelling of belfry.”
Modern English
English
beldries
“A rare or obsolete plural form meaning belfries.”