Meaning & use
wind chimes
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
A set of small hanging tubes, rods, or bells that knock together in the wind and make pleasant ringing sounds.
Grammar: Takes a plural verb: The wind chimes sound lovely. Use 'a set of wind chimes' for one item.
Patterns
- a set of wind chimes
- hang wind chimes
- the wind chimes ring
She hung a set of wind chimes on the porch so they would sing in the breeze.
The wind chimes rang softly all afternoon, and I almost fell asleep on the sofa.
We bought some bamboo wind chimes at the craft fair.
Common combinations
- hang wind chimes
- They hung wind chimes from the branch above the garden gate.
- a set of wind chimes
- He gave her a set of wind chimes as a housewarming present.
- bamboo wind chimes
- Bamboo wind chimes make a deeper, wooden sound than metal ones.
- the wind chimes ring
- Whenever the wind chimes ring, the dog runs to the window.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chimes
- A shorter word for the same hanging set, though 'chimes' can also mean bells inside a clock or a doorbell.
- bells
- Refers to the metal objects themselves; wind chimes may be made of tubes or bamboo, not only bells.
Commonly confused: wind chimes or wind chime?
wind chimes vs wind chime
The singular form is rare; people almost always say the plural 'wind chimes' even for one set.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'wind chimes' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Wind chimes' is plural, so it takes 'are,' not 'is.' Option D adds an unnecessary 'a' before 'ringing.'
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wind chimes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.