noun
belle
BELL/bel/
An attractive and admired young woman.
The novel describes her as the belle of the village dance.
Etymology
Latin bellus supplied the idea of beauty that became a label for a beautiful woman. The “reigning beauty” sense emphasizes someone admired above others in a social circle.
In context
So Helen is the life of the party, the belle of the ball already,
She was sort of the literal belle of the ball,
More examples
- The young belle attracts admiring attention at the party.
- Several fashionable belles appear in the period painting.
- She laughs at being called the belle of the ball.
Forms
belle · belles
Similar words
- beauty
- Can name an attractive person without the social prominence.
- debutante
- Specifically a young woman formally introduced to society.