Meaning & use

belle

noun·Advanced

A beautiful woman, especially the most attractive or admired woman at an event.

See it in a sentence

She was the belle of the ball in her elegant emerald gown.

As the town's reigning belle, she received invitations to every social gathering.

A note on using this word

Belle usually appears in the set phrase 'belle of the ball' and carries an old-fashioned, somewhat formal or literary tone.

Words with a similar meaning

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