Doorbell

How to spell doorbell

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce doorbell

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does doorbell mean?

1. nounA bell or buzzer at the entrance of a building that a visitor presses to signal their arrival.

Doorbell in a sentence

• The courier rang the doorbell twice before leaving the parcel.

• We fitted a video doorbell so we can see who is at the front door.

Where does doorbell come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a transparent English compound formed by joining two very old native words. 'Door' descends from the Old English 'duru', meaning the movable barrier at an entrance, which traces back to a common Germanic root and is cousin to words like the German 'Tür'. 'Bell' comes from the Old English 'belle', a hollow metal instrument that rings when struck, probably linked to an old verb meaning 'to bellow' or 'roar'. The two were stitched together in the nineteenth century once mechanical and later electric bells were fitted beside front doors so that callers could announce themselves. Because both halves are familiar everyday words, the spelling is regular, though the doubled 'l' at the end and the unhyphenated single word can trip a writer up.

How the word is built

• door (entrance)
• bell (ringing instrument)