n. [ F. belle, fem. of bel, beau, beautiful, fine. See Beau. ] A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Hung with a bell or bells. [ 1913 Webster ]
A porcelainlike kind of decorative pottery with a high gloss, which is sometimes iridescent. A very fine kind is made at Belleek in Ireland. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]
n. One versed in belles-lettres. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. (Paleon.) A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age. [ 1913 Webster ]
‖n. pl. [ F. ] Polite or elegant literature; the humanities; -- used somewhat vaguely for literary works in which imagination and taste are predominant. [ 1913 Webster ]