belfry

Meaning

Noun

• A tower or steeple specifically for containing bells, especially as part of a church.
• A part of a large tower or steeple, specifically for containing bells.
• A shed.
• A movable tower used in sieges.
• An alarm-tower; a watchtower containing an alarm-bell.

Origin

• From Middle English belfrey, bellfray, belfray, from Old French belfroi, berfroi, berfrey (changed to have an ⟨l⟩ by association with bell), from Middle High German bërcvrit or bërvrit (modern German Bergfried), possibly via Late Latin berefredus, from Proto-Germanic *bergafriþuz. bergfried.