bel

See also: Appendix:Variations of "bel"

Languages (38)

Translingual • English

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Albanian • Aragonese • Azerbaijani • Bislama • Catalan • Dutch • French • Hamer-Banna • Hausa • Hungarian • Icelandic • Indonesian • Italian • Karaim • Ladino • Maguindanao • Maranao • Middle English • Norman • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old French • Old Occitan • Pijin • Polish • Salar • San Pablo Güilá Zapotec • Serbo-Croatian • Slovene • Spanish • Tok Pisin • Turkish • Turkmen • Uzbek • Volapük • West Frisian • Wiyot

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Clipping of English Belarusian, from Belarusian беларуская (bjelaruskaja).

Symbol

bel

1. (international standards) ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-3 language code for Belarusian.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Belarusian terms

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Homophones: bell, belle

Etymology 1

Named after Alexander Graham Bell.

Noun

bel (plural bels)

1. A measure of relative power, defined as log₁₀(P ₁/P ₂), where P₁ and P₂ are the measured and reference power respectively.

Derived terms

• centibel
• decibel
• femtobel
• gigabel
• nanobel

Translations

measure of relative power

Belarusian: бел m (bjel) Bulgarian: бел (bg) m (bel) Czech: bel (cs) m Finnish: beli (fi) French: bel (fr) m Hungarian: bel (hu) Icelandic: bel (is) n Macedonian: бел m (bel) Polish: bel (pl) m Russian: бе́л (ru) m (bél) Tatar: бел m (bel) Thai: เบล (bel) Ukrainian: бел m (bel)

References

• Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary

Etymology 2

Noun

bel (plural bels)

1. Alternative form of bael.

Anagrams

• BLE, EBL, LEB, Leb, Leb.

Albanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بل (bel, “waist; spade”) (Turkish bel).

Noun

bel m

1. (anatomy) waist

   Synonym: mes

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بل (bel, “spade”), from Classical Persian بیل (bēl, “spade”).

Noun

bel m

1. spade

   Synonyms: maç, lopatë

Aragonese

Alternative forms

• bela, bel-la (feminine)

Etymology

From Latin bellus (“pretty”). Compare Gascon bèth for the determiner use.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbel/
• Syllabification: bel
• Rhymes: -el

Adjective

bel m

1. strange (in certain expressions)

Determiner

bel m

1. any, anyone

References

• Badia I Margarit, Antonio. 1950. El habla del Valle de Bielsa. Barcelona: Instituto de Estudios Pirenaicos. 88, 232.

Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bel]

• Audio (Baku):

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Proto-Turkic *bẹ̄l.

Noun

bel (definite accusative beli, plural bellər)

1. (anatomy) back of the body

   Synonyms: dal, arxa

   Belim ağrıyır. ― My back hurts.

   uşaqlığı at belində keçən adam ― a person whose childhood has passed on the back of a horse.

2. (anatomy) small of the back
3. (anatomy) waist

   Synonym: miyan

4. (geography) saddleback, saddle, col

Derived terms

• bel bağlamaq (“to rely on”)

Etymology 2

From Persian بیل (bil, “spade”).

Noun

bel (definite accusative beli, plural bellər)

1. spade

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	bellr
definite accusative	beln	bellr
dative	bely	bellr
locative	beld	bellrd
ablative	beldn	bellrdn
definite genitive	belnn	bellrn

Possessive forms of bel

	nominative
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belm	bellrm
sənin (“your”)	beln	bellrn
onun (“his/her/its”)	bels	bellr
bizim (“our”)	belmz	bellrmz
sizin (“your”)	belnz	bellrnz
onların (“their”)	bels or bellr	bellr
	accusative
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belm	bellrm
sənin (“your”)	beln	bellrn
onun (“his/her/its”)	belsn	bellrn
bizim (“our”)	belmz	bellrmz
sizin (“your”)	belnz	bellrnz
onların (“their”)	belsn or bellrn	bellrn
	dative
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belm	bellrm
sənin (“your”)	beln	bellrn
onun (“his/her/its”)	belsn	bellrn
bizim (“our”)	belmz	bellrmz
sizin (“your”)	belnz	bellrnz
onların (“their”)	belsn or bellrn	bellrn
	locative
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belmd	bellrmd
sənin (“your”)	belnd	bellrnd
onun (“his/her/its”)	belsnd	bellrnd
bizim (“our”)	belmzd	bellrmzd
sizin (“your”)	belnzd	bellrnzd
onların (“their”)	belsnd or bellrnd	bellrnd
	ablative
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belmdn	bellrmdn
sənin (“your”)	belndn	bellrndn
onun (“his/her/its”)	belsndn	bellrndn
bizim (“our”)	belmzdn	bellrmzdn
sizin (“your”)	belnzdn	bellrnzdn
onların (“their”)	belsndn or bellrndn	bellrndn
	genitive
singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	belmn	bellrmn
sənin (“your”)	belnn	bellrnn
onun (“his/her/its”)	belsnn	bellrnn
bizim (“our”)	belmzn	bellrmzn
sizin (“your”)	belnzn	bellrnzn
onların (“their”)	belsnn or bellrnn	bellrnn

Further reading

• Orucov, Əliheydər, editor (2006), “bel”, in Azərbaycan dilinin izahlı lüğəti [Explanatory Dictionary of the Azerbaijani Language]‎^[1] (in Azerbaijani), 2nd edition, volume 1, Baku: Şərq-Qərb

Bislama

Etymology 1

From English belly. Cognate with Pijin bele and Tok Pisin bel.

Noun

bel

1. (anatomy) belly, stomach, abdomen

   Bel blong mi i soa afta kakae.

   My stomach hurts after eating.

2. (anatomy, particularly) uterus, womb

   Synonyms: basket blong mama, basket blong pikinini

   Bebi i stap insaed long bel blong mama.

   The baby is inside the mother's womb.

3. (figurative) pregnancy

   Synonyms: gat bel, gat bebi

   Woman ia i bel bigwan i stap.

   That woman is already very pregnant.

Verb

bel (intransitive)

1. to be pregnant

   Sista blong mi i bel nao.

   My sister is pregnant now.

Derived terms

• bel i hang (“pot-bellied; to have paunch”)
• bel i ron (“to have diarrhea/dysentery”)
• bel i sofsof (“unconstipated”)
• bel i strong (“constipated”)
• gat bel (“pregnant”)
• givim bel (“to make pregnant”)
• sitsit wota (“diarrhea”)

Etymology 2

From English bell. Cognate with Pijin belo and Tok Pisin bel.

Noun

bel

1. bell (percussive instrument)

   Ol man i ringim bel blong kolekol pipol.

   The men ring the bell to call people together.

2. (figurative, of buildings) bell (sound as a signal)

   Oli kilim bel finis, hem i taem blong go insaed long skul.

   The bell has been rung, it's time to go into church.

   Taem bel i sing, yumi mas go insaed.

   When the bell rings, we must go inside.

Verb

bel (intransitive)

1. to ring a bell

   Yu mas bel taem skul i finis.

   You must ring the bell when school is finished.

Etymology 3

From English bail, reinforced by bel (“belly”). Compare Pijin belaot.

Noun

bel

1. waterhole, pool (natural accumulation of water)

   Synonym: pul

   Ol pikinini i swim long bel wota.

   The children are swimming in the waterhole.

Derived terms

• bel wota (“waterhole, pool of water”)

Etymology 4

From English bale.

Noun

bel

1. (commerce, especially of goods) bale (bundle)

   Sapos yu go long taon, bae yu sendem fo bel raes i kam.

   If you go to town, bring four bales of rice.

References

• Crowley, Terry (2003), “bel”, in A New Bislama Dictionary, 2nd edition, Suva, Fiji: Institute of Pacific Studies, →ISBN, pages 46–7

Catalan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern) [ˈbe̞l]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Central, Valencia, Northwestern) [ˈbɛl]

Etymology 1

Deverbal from belar (“to bleat”).

Noun

bel m (plural bels)

1. baa, bleat

Related terms

• belar

Etymology 2

Noun

bel m (plural bels)

1. (physics, acoustics) bel

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch belle, from Old Dutch bella, from Proto-Germanic *bellǭ. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

bel f (plural bellen, diminutive belletje n)

1. bell
2. (obsolete) segment of a rattlesnake's rattle

Derived terms

• belhamel
• belleman
• beltrom
• beltrommel
• deurbel
• draaibel
• een belletje doen rinkelen
• fietsbel
• rinkelbel
• rotorbel
• toeters en bellen

Descendants

• → Caribbean Javanese: bèl
• → Sranan Tongo: bèl

Etymology 2

Probably a variant of bal (“ball, round convex object”)

Noun

bel f (plural bellen, diminutive belletje n)

1. bubble

   Synonym: bubbel

Derived terms

• luchtbel
• snottebel
• zeepbel

Etymology 3

Compare the semantic development of slet, but it is not certain whether the sense rag here is related to the sense referring to vulgar women, which is barely attested as simplex. Alternatively, the compounds featuring this words have been explained as being formed by analogy with snottebel or perhaps lellebel; note lellebellen (“to chit-chat”), which is attested as early as 1599 and may be related to German bellen (“to bark”). This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

bel ? (plural bellen, diminutive belletje n)

1. (obsolete, literally) rag
2. (obsolete, figuratively) loose, vulgar woman

Derived terms

• bellig
• lellebel
• morsebel
• slettebel
• teutebel
• totebel
• tuttebel

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

bel

1. inflection of bellen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Homophones: bêle, belle

Etymology 1

see beau

Adjective

bel

1. form of beau used before a masculine noun that starts with a vowel sound

Usage notes

• used before masculine nouns that start with a vowel like animal but also before nouns that start with a vowel sound like homme, where the h is silent: un bel homme (/œ̃ bɛ.l‿ɔm/)

Related terms

• bel air
• bel-enfant
• bel esprit

Etymology 2

Named for Alexander Graham Bell

Noun

bel m (plural bels)

1. (sound engineering) bel (unit of sound intensity)

Derived terms

• décibel

Further reading

• “bel”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Anagrams

• blé

Hamer-Banna

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bél/, [bél̥]

Noun

bel

1. (of girls) bond friend (friend across ethnic boundaries)

References

Petrollino, Sara (2016), A Grammar of Hamar: A South Omotic language of Ethiopia‎^[2], Leiden University

Hausa

Etymology

Borrowed from English belt.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bél/
  • (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [bál]

Noun

bêl m

1. belt
2. seatbelt

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbɛl]
• Hyphenation: bel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From English bel.

Noun

bel

1. bel (a unit of measurement)

Declension

Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	belek
accusative	belt	beleket
dative	belnek	beleknek
instrumental	bellel	belekkel
causal-final	belért	belekért
translative	bellé	belekké
terminative	belig	belekig
essive-formal	belként	belekként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	belben	belekben
superessive	belen	beleken
adessive	belnél	beleknél
illative	belbe	belekbe
sublative	belre	belekre
allative	belhez	belekhez
elative	belből	belekből
delative	belről	belekről
ablative	beltől	belektől
non-attributive possessive – singular	belé	beleké
non-attributive possessive – plural	beléi	belekéi

Possessive forms of bel

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	belem	beleim
2nd person sing.	beled	beleid
3rd person sing.	bele	belei
1st person plural	belünk	beleink
2nd person plural	beletek	beleitek
3rd person plural	belük	beleik

Derived terms

Compound words

• decibel

Etymology 2

From bél.

Noun

bel

1. (archaic) internal part (a variant form of bél, used in derivatives)

Related terms

• -ban / -ben
• -ba / -be
• be → be-
• bel-
• bele (belé, beléje)
• -beli (-béli)
• beljebb (bellebb)
• bellebbez (beljebbez)
• belőle
• belső (benső)
• belül (belől, bévül)
• benne
• bennünket,  -eteket
• bent (benn)
• bél (and archaic bel)
• -ból / -ből

Further reading

• bel in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN.
• bel and bel- in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2026).

Icelandic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈpɛːl]

  Rhymes: -ɛːl

Noun

bel n (genitive singular bels, nominative plural bel)

1. bel (measure of relative power)

Declension

Declension of bel (neuter)

	singular	plural
indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	bel	belið	bel	belin
accusative	bel	belið	bel	belin
dative	beli	belinu	belum	belunum
genitive	bels	belsins	bela	belanna

Related terms

• desibel, desíbel

Indonesian

Etymology 1

From Dutch bel (“bell”), from Middle Dutch belle, from Old Dutch bella, from Proto-Germanic *bellǭ.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈbel/ [ˈbɛl]
• Rhymes: -el
• Syllabification: bel

Noun

bél (plural bel-bel)

1. bell

   Synonym: lonceng

Verb

bèl (active mengebel, passive dibel)

1. to ring a bell
2. (colloquial) to bell, telephone

Etymology 2

From English bel, after Alexander Graham Bell.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈbəl/ [ˈbəl]
• Rhymes: -əl
• Syllabification: bel

Noun

bêl (plural bel-bel)

1. (physics) bel

Further reading

• “bel”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/
• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Hyphenation: bel

Adjective

bel

1. preconsonantal masculine singular form of bello

Karaim

Etymology

From Proto-Turkic *bẹ̄l(k).

Noun

bel

1. thigh, waist

References

• N. A. Baskakov, S.M. Šapšala, editor (1973), “bel”, in Karaimsko-Russko-Polʹskij Slovarʹ [Karaim-Russian-Polish Dictionary], Moscow: Moskva, →ISBN

Ladino

Etymology

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish بل (bel, “waist”).

Noun

bel m (Hebrew spelling ביל)

1. (anatomy) waist

   Synonym: talia

   • 2006, Matilda Koén-Sarano, Por el plazer de kontar‎^[3], page 229:

     I kuanto mas la karne era negra, tantos mas eran los pedasos del bel para abasho, ke eya le orava!

     And how the meat was so much blacker, especially the chunks from the waist down, that she prayed for it!

2. (clothing) waist
   • 19th century, Sa'adi Besalel a-Levi, edited by Aron Rodrigue, Sarah Abrevaya Stein, A Jewish Voice from Ottoman Salonica: The Ladino Memoir of Sa'adi Besalel A-Levi‎^[4], Stanford University Press, published 2012, →ISBN, page 262:

     El bel era muy estrecho i las mangas eran estrechas kantidad ke non les vinia la mania al braso.

     The waist was very narrow and the sleeves were so tight that there was barely room for their bracelets.

Maguindanao

Etymology

From Proto-Austronesian *qebel.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Maguindanaon) IPA^(key): /bəl/ [bʊɭ]
• Rhymes: -əl
• Syllabification: bel

Noun

bël

1. smoke

Maranao

Etymology

From Proto-Austronesian *qebel, compare Mansaka ubul and Western Bukidnon Manobo evel.

Noun

bel

1. smoke

References

• Howard P. McKaughan, Batua A. Macaraya (1967), A Maranao Dictionary‎^[5] (overall work in Maranao and English), University of Hawaii Press

Middle English

Alternative forms

• bele, beele, beale, bealle

Etymology

From Old French bel, biau, from Latin bellus, from Old Latin *duenelos. Doublet of beau.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛːl/, /ˈbɛl/

Adjective

bel

1. Of fine quality: good, nice, appealing.
2. Physically appealing; attractive, pretty.

Related terms

• beaute, bewte

References

• “bē̆l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 24 November 2018.

Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Norse bœli.

Noun

bel m (plural bels)

1. (Jersey) courtyard, yard, patio
2. (Jersey) farmyard

Derived terms

• bel à balle (“ball court, ball park”)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Named after A. G. Bell.

Noun

bel m (definite singular belen, indefinite plural bel, definite plural belane)

1. bel (logarithmic measure of sound pressure)

Derived terms

• desibel

Etymology 2

From Old Norse bil.

Noun

bel n (definite singular belet, indefinite plural bel, definite plural bela)

1. moment, instant
2. gap, space

References

• “bel” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old French

Alternative forms

• beal (uncommon)
• beau
• biau

Etymology

From Latin bellus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

Adjective

bel m (oblique and nominative feminine singular bele)

1. graceful, elegant, courteous
2. noble
3. (as a term of address) good, as in, my good sir, my good lady
   • late 12th century, Aucassin et Nicolette, page 6 of the Mario Roques edition

     Biax sire, fait li quens, car laisciés ester. Nicolete est une caitive que j’amenai d’estrange tere

     Good sir, said the count, let her be. Nicolette is a captive that I've brought here from a foreign land

4. handsome; beautiful

Declension

	Case	masculine	feminine	neuter
singular	subject	biax or biaus	bele	bel
oblique	bel	bele	bel
plural	subject	bel	beles	bel
oblique	biax or biaus	beles	bel

Related terms

• belement
• biauté
• bellezour

Descendants

• Angevin: biau
• Bourbonnais-Berrichon: biau
• Bourguignon: bea
• Champenois: bé, biau
• Franc-Comtois: bia
  • Middle French: beau, bel
    • French: beau
      • → English: beau
• Norman: bel, biau
• Picard: biau, bieu (Amiens)
• Poitevin-Saintongeais: bia
  • Paydret: béou
• Walloon: bea
• → Middle English: beau; bel

Old Occitan

Alternative forms

• belh

Etymology

From Latin bellus.

Adjective

bel m (feminine singular bela, masculine plural bels, feminine plural belas)

1. beautiful

Pijin

Etymology

From English belly. Cognate with Bislama bel and Tok Pisin bel.

Noun

bel

1. (anatomy) abdomen, belly, stomach, tummy, guts

   Synonym: tanko

   Bele blong mi i soa tumas.

   My stomach hurts a lot.

2. (anatomy, specifically) womb, uterus

   Synonym: basket blong bebi

   Wuman garem bebi long bele blong hem.

   The woman is carrying a child in her womb.

Derived terms

• beleran, beliran (“diarrhea, dysentery”)
• belesoa (“bellyache, stomach ache”)

See also

• daeria (“diarrhea”)
• sikiwata (“diarrhea”)

References

• Jourdan, Christine with Maebiru, Ellen (2002), “bel”, in Pijin: A trilingual cultural dictionary (Pacific Linguistics; 526), Canberra, ACT: Pacific Linguistics, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, →ISBN, page 17

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Syllabification: bel

Etymology 1

Internationalism; compare English bel. Ultimately named after Scottish-born inventor, scientist, and engineer Alexander Graham Bell.

Noun

bel m inan (abbreviation B)

1. bel

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	bele
genitive	bela	beli
dative	belowi	belom
accusative	bel	bele
instrumental	belem	belami
locative	belu	belach
vocative	belu	bele

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

bel f

1. genitive plural of bela

Further reading

• “bel”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[6] (in Polish)

Salar

Picture dictionary: poñ

poñ

1= baş 2= yüz 3= boyun 4= yağrı 5= köxrek 6= gindik 9= cücük 10–14= incik 10= san 11= düz, ağırçaq 12= çiñgirek, baldur 13= tox 14= ayaq 15–19= qol 16= düssek 19= el

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Turkic *bẹ̄l. Cognate to Turkish bel (“waist; mountain pass”).

Pronunciation

• (Xunhua, Hualong, Qinghai; Gansu; Ili, Xinjiang) IPA^(key): /bel/, /bil/

Noun

bel (3rd person possessive bili, plural beller)

1. (anatomy) waist
2. mountain pass, mountainside
3. a waist pad, lumbar pad; padded waist support used for carrying water

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	beller
genitive	belniği	bellerniği
dative	bele	bellere
definite accusative	belni	bellerni
locative	belde	bellerde
ablative	belden	bellerden
instrumental	bella	bellerla
pronominal	belği	bellerği
indefinite article	bel-or	beller-or
definite article	belcük	bellercük

Possessive declension of bel

	nominative
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilim	bilimler
siniği ("your")	biliñ	biliñler
aniği ("their")	bili	bililer
piserniği ("our")	bilimiz	bilimizler
selerniği ("your")	biliñiz	biliñizler
ularniği ("their")	bili	bililer
	accusative
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilimni	bilimlerni
siniği ("your")	biliñni	biliñlerni
aniği ("their")	bilini	bililerni
piserniği ("our")	bilimizni	bilimizlerni
selerniği ("your")	biliñizni	biliñizlerni
ularniği ("their")	bilini	bililerni
	dative
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilime	bilimlere
siniği ("your")	biliñe	biliñlere
aniği ("their")	biliğe	bililere
piserniği ("our")	bilimize	bilimizlere
selerniği ("your")	biliñize	biliñizlere
ularniği ("their")	biliğe	bililere
	locative
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilimde	bilimlerde
siniği ("your")	biliñde	biliñlerde
aniği ("their")	bilide	bililerde
piserniği ("our")	bilimizde	bilimizlerde
selerniği ("your")	biliñizde	biliñizlerde
ularniği ("their")	bilide	bililerde
	ablative
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilimden	bilimlerden
siniği ("your")	biliñden	biliñlerden
aniği ("their")	biliden	bililerden
piserniği ("our")	bilimizden	bilimizlerden
selerniği ("your")	biliñizden	biliñizlerden
ularniği ("their")	biliden	bililerden
	instrumental
	singular	plural
miniği ("my")	bilimla	bilimlerla
siniği ("your")	biliñla	biliñlerla
aniği ("their")	bilila	bililerla
piserniği ("our")	bilimizla	bilimizlerla
selerniği ("your")	biliñizla	biliñizlerla
ularniği ("their")	bilila	bililerla

References

• Tenishev, Edhem (1976), “bel”, in Stroj salárskovo jazyká [Grammar of Salar], Moscow: Nauka, page 447
• 林莲云 [Lin Lianyun] (1992), “bel”, in 撒拉汉汉撒拉词汇 [Salar-Chinese, Chinese-Salar Vocabulary], 成都 [Chéngdū]: 四川民族出版社, →ISBN, page 23
• Yakup, Abdurishid (2002), “bel”, in An Ili Salar Vocabulary: Introduction and a Provisional Salar-English Lexicon‎^[7], Tokyo: University of Tokyo, →ISBN, page 58
• Ma, Chengjun; Han, Lianye; Ma, Weisheng (December 2010), “bel”, in 米娜瓦尔·艾比布拉 [Minavar Abibra], editor, 撒维汉词典 [Sā-Wéi-Hàn cídiǎn, Salar-Uyghur-Chinese dictionary] (in Chinese), 1st edition, Beijing, →ISBN, page 8
• 马伟 [Ma Wei] (2016), “bel”, in 濒危语言——撒拉语研究 [Endangered Languages ​​- Salar Language Studies], 青海 [Qīnghǎi, Qinghai]: 青海师范大学 [Qinghai Normal University], unpublished finalized project manuscript (国家社会科学基金项目结项稿, 定稿; National Social Science Fund of China), page 38

San Pablo Güilá Zapotec

Alternative forms

• behld (San Dionisio Ocotepec)

Noun

bel

1. (San Pablo Güilá) fish

References

• Natalie Operstein, Aaron Huey Sonnenschein, Valence Changes in Zapotec: Synchrony, diachrony, typology (2015, →ISBN), page 80

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bêːl/

Adjective

bȇl (Cyrillic spelling бе̑л, definite bȇlī, comparative bȅljī or bèlijī) (Ekavian)

1. alternative form of bȅo

Slovene

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *bělъ, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰēlHs (“white surface or stain”). First attested in the 16th century.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bèːʋ/

Adjective

bẹ́ł (comparative bȍlj bẹ́ł or belȇjši, superlative nȁjbolj bẹ́ł or nȁjbelȇjši)

1. white

Declension

The diacritics used in this section of the entry are non-tonal. If you are a native tonal speaker, please help by adding the tonal marks.

Hard
	masculine	feminine	neuter
nom. sing.	bél	béla	bélo
singular
	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	bél ind béli def	béla	bélo
genitive	bélega	béle	bélega
dative	bélemu	béli	bélemu
accusative	nominativeinan or genitiveanim	bélo	bélo
locative	bélem	béli	bélem
instrumental	bélim	bélo	bélim
dual
	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	béla	béli	béli
genitive	bélih	bélih	bélih
dative	bélima	bélima	bélima
accusative	béla	béli	béli
locative	bélih	bélih	bélih
instrumental	bélima	bélima	bélima
plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	béli	béle	béla
genitive	bélih	bélih	bélih
dative	bélim	bélim	bélim
accusative	béle	béle	béla
locative	bélih	bélih	bélih
instrumental	bélimi	bélimi	bélimi

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

See also

Colors in Slovene · barve (layout · text)

bela	siva	črna
rdeča; škrlatna	oranžna; rjava	rumena; krem
svetlozelena, limeta	zelena
sinja, cian; turkizna	azurna	modra
vijolična; indigo	magenta, fuksija; vijolična, lila	roza, rožnata

Further reading

• “bel”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU (in Slovene), 2014–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbel/ [ˈbel]
• Rhymes: -el
• Syllabification: bel

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English bel, named after Alexander Graham Bell.

Noun

bel m (plural beles)

1. bel

   Synonym: belio

Derived terms

• decibel

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Occitan bell or Catalan bell.

Adjective

bel (feminine bela, masculine plural beles, feminine plural belas)

1. (archaic) synonym of bello (“beautiful, fair”)

Further reading

• “bel”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English belly. Cognate with Bislama bel and Pijin bele.

Noun

bel

1. abdomen, belly (of a human)
2. underside
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Jenesis 3:14:

     Na God, Bikpela i tokim snek olsem, “Yu bin mekim dispela pasin nogut, olsem na nau mi gat strongpela tok bilong daunim yu. Bai yu gat bikpela hevi. Hevi yu karim bai i winim hevi bilong olgeta arapela animal. Nau na long olgeta taim bihain bai yu wokabaut long bel bilong yu tasol. Na bai yu kaikai das bilong graun.

     →New International Version translation

3. the fuselage of an airplane.
4. the seat of emotions, equivalent to heart in English.
   • 1989, Buk Baibel long Tok Pisin, Port Moresby: Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, Hibru 4:12:

     Tok bilong God em i gat laip, na em i wok strong i stap. Em i sap moa, na i winim bainat i gat tupela sap. Dispela tok i save sutim man na i go insait tru. Em i go kamap stret long dispela hap tewel na spirit i bruk, na long ol dispela hap skru na kru bilong bun i pas wantaim. Olsem na em i save gut tru long olgeta tingting na laik bilong bel bilong yumi.

     →New International Version translation

Derived terms

• rausim bel
• sik bilong bel hevi

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 8

Turkish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbel/, [ˈbɛl]

Etymology 1

From Ottoman Turkish بل (bel, “waist, loins”), from Proto-Turkic *bẹ̄l (“waist”). Cognate with Old Turkic 𐰋𐰃𐰠 (b²il² /⁠bél⁠/, “waist”).

Noun

bel (definite accusative beli, plural beller)

1. waist

   Belini taş yapıya yaslamıştı.

   (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Declension

Declension of bel

singular plural nominative bel beller definite accusative beli belleri dative bele bellere locative belde bellerde ablative belden bellerden genitive belin bellerin Possessive forms nominative singular plural 1st singular belim bellerim 2nd singular belin bellerin 3rd singular beli belleri 1st plural belimiz bellerimiz 2nd plural beliniz belleriniz 3rd plural belleri belleri definite accusative singular plural 1st singular belimi bellerimi 2nd singular belini bellerini 3rd singular belini bellerini 1st plural belimizi bellerimizi 2nd plural belinizi bellerinizi 3rd plural bellerini bellerini dative singular plural 1st singular belime bellerime 2nd singular beline bellerine 3rd singular beline bellerine 1st plural belimize bellerimize 2nd plural belinize bellerinize 3rd plural bellerine bellerine locative singular plural 1st singular belimde bellerimde 2nd singular belinde bellerinde 3rd singular belinde bellerinde 1st plural belimizde bellerimizde 2nd plural belinizde bellerinizde 3rd plural bellerinde bellerinde ablative singular plural 1st singular belimden bellerimden 2nd singular belinden bellerinden 3rd singular belinden bellerinden 1st plural belimizden bellerimizden 2nd plural belinizden bellerinizden 3rd plural bellerinden bellerinden genitive singular plural 1st singular belimin bellerimin 2nd singular belinin bellerinin 3rd singular belinin bellerinin 1st plural belimizin bellerimizin 2nd plural belinizin bellerinizin 3rd plural bellerinin bellerinin

Etymology 2

From Ottoman Turkish بل (bel, “spade”), variant of بیل (bil), from Persian بیل (bil, “spade”).

Noun

bel (definite accusative beli, plural beller)

1. (dated) spade

References

• Kélékian, Diran (1911), “بل”, in Dictionnaire turc-français‎^[8] (in French), Constantinople: Mihran, page 274
• Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “bel2”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

Etymology 3

From Proto-Turkic *bel-.

Noun

bel

1. mark, sign

Derived terms

• bel etmek

Turkmen

Other scripts
Latin	bel
Cyrillic	бел
Arabic	بیل

Noun

bel (definite accusative beli, plural beller)

1. archaic and dialectal form of pil (“shovel, spade”)

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	beller
accusative	beli	belleri
genitive	beliň	belleriň
dative	bele	bellere
locative	belde	bellerde
ablative	belden	bellerden

Uzbek

Other scripts

Arabic	Afghan Uzbek	—
Yangi Imlo	—
Cyrillic	бел
Latin	bel

Etymology 1

From Proto-Turkic *bẹ̄l (“waist”).

Noun

bel (plural bellar)

1. waistline

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	bellar
genitive	belning	bellarning
dative	belga	bellarga
definite accusative	belni	bellarni
locative	belda	bellarda
ablative	beldan	bellardan
similative	beldek	bellardek

Possessive forms of bel

1st person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	belim	bellarim
genitive	belimning	bellarimning
dative	belimga	bellarimga
definite accusative	belimni	bellarimni
locative	belimda	bellarimda
ablative	belimdan	bellarimdan
similative	belimdek	bellarimdek
2nd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	beling	bellaring
genitive	belingning	bellaringning
dative	belingga	bellaringga
definite accusative	belingni	bellaringni
locative	belingda	bellaringda
ablative	belingdan	bellaringdan
similative	belingdek	bellaringdek
3rd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	beli	bellari
genitive	belining	bellarining
dative	beliga	bellariga
definite accusative	belini	bellarini
locative	belida	bellarida
ablative	belidan	bellaridan
similative	belidek	bellaridek
1st person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	belimiz	bellarimiz
genitive	belimizning	bellarimizning
dative	belimizga	bellarimizga
definite accusative	belimizni	bellarimizni
locative	belimizda	bellarimizda
ablative	belimizdan	bellarimizdan
similative	belimizdek	bellarimizdek
2nd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	belingiz	bellaringiz
genitive	belingizning	bellaringizning
dative	belingizga	bellaringizga
definite accusative	belingizni	bellaringizni
locative	belingizda	bellaringizda
ablative	belingizdan	bellaringizdan
similative	belingizdek	bellaringizdek
3rd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	beli	bellari
genitive	belining	bellarining
dative	beliga	bellariga
definite accusative	belini	bellarini
locative	belida	bellarida
ablative	belidan	bellaridan
similative	belidek	bellaridek

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Classical Persian بیل (bēl, “spade”).

Noun

bel (plural bellar)

1. shovel, spade

Declension

Declension of bel

	singular	plural
nominative	bel	bellar
genitive	belning	bellarning
dative	belga	bellarga
definite accusative	belni	bellarni
locative	belda	bellarda
ablative	beldan	bellardan
similative	beldek	bellardek

Possessive forms of bel

1st person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	belim	bellarim
genitive	belimning	bellarimning
dative	belimga	bellarimga
definite accusative	belimni	bellarimni
locative	belimda	bellarimda
ablative	belimdan	bellarimdan
similative	belimdek	bellarimdek
2nd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	beling	bellaring
genitive	belingning	bellaringning
dative	belingga	bellaringga
definite accusative	belingni	bellaringni
locative	belingda	bellaringda
ablative	belingdan	bellaringdan
similative	belingdek	bellaringdek
3rd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	beli	bellari
genitive	belining	bellarining
dative	beliga	bellariga
definite accusative	belini	bellarini
locative	belida	bellarida
ablative	belidan	bellaridan
similative	belidek	bellaridek
1st person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	belimiz	bellarimiz
genitive	belimizning	bellarimizning
dative	belimizga	bellarimizga
definite accusative	belimizni	bellarimizni
locative	belimizda	bellarimizda
ablative	belimizdan	bellarimizdan
similative	belimizdek	bellarimizdek
2nd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	belingiz	bellaringiz
genitive	belingizning	bellaringizning
dative	belingizga	bellaringizga
definite accusative	belingizni	bellaringizni
locative	belingizda	bellaringizda
ablative	belingizdan	bellaringizdan
similative	belingizdek	bellaringizdek
3rd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	beli	bellari
genitive	belining	bellarining
dative	beliga	bellariga
definite accusative	belini	bellarini
locative	belida	bellarida
ablative	belidan	bellaridan
similative	belidek	bellaridek

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from German Berg.

Noun

bel (genitive bela, plural bels)

1. mountain
   • 1952, Arie de Jong, Diatek nulik: Gospul ma ‚Matthaeus’. Kapit: V:

     Ven Yesus älogom menamödotis, äbexänom beli.

     Seeing the crowds, Jesus went onto the mountain.

Declension

Declension of bel

	Singular	Plural
Nominative	bel	bels
Genitive	bela	belas
Dative	bele	beles
Accusative	beli	belis
Predicative1	belu	belus
Vocative	o bel	o bels

1. Introduced in Volapük Nulik.

Further reading

• “bel”, in Vödabuk (in English, Esperanto, and Volapük)

West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian *belle, from Proto-Germanic *bellǭ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɛl/

Noun

bel c (plural bellen, diminutive beltsje)

1. bell
2. doorbell

Derived terms

• earbel

Further reading

• “bel”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

Wiyot

Adjective

bel

1. flat, wide

References

• Reconstructing Languages and Cultures: Abstracts and Materials from the First International Interdisciplinary Symposium on Language and Prehistory, Ann Arbor, 8-12 November, 1988