Belle
/bɛl/noun
A beautiful woman or girl.
Did you know?Belle comes through French from Latin *bella* / *bellus*, a word for beauty and charm that also lives on in names and phrases tied to elegance, allure, and social power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dwéh₂-s/*dweh₂-
“A proposed ancestral source sometimes connected to Latin *bonus* and *bellus* is debated; the exact origin of *bellus* is uncertain.”
Latin
Latin
bellus
“Pretty, handsome, fine, charming.”
Old French
Old French
bel / belle
“Beautiful, fair; a beautiful woman.”
Middle English
English
belle
“A beautiful woman, especially one admired in society.”
Modern English
English
belle
“A beautiful or charming woman.”