Tintinnabulum
//ˌtɪntɪˈnæbjʊləm// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small clinking bell, particularly (historical) a small bell used to call monks to certain tasks.
"...it is worth while to enumerate the different kinds of bells named by Hieronymus Magius in his work De Tintinnabulis:—1. Tintinnabulum, a little bell, otherwise called tinniolum, for refectory or dormitory, according to Belethus, but Durandus names squilla for the refectory..."
- 2 A set of bells or metal plates used as a musical instrument or as a toy.
Example
More examples"...it is worth while to enumerate the different kinds of bells named by Hieronymus Magius in his work De Tintinnabulis:—1. Tintinnabulum, a little bell, otherwise called tinniolum, for refectory or dormitory, according to Belethus, but Durandus names squilla for the refectory..."
Etymology
From Latin tintinnābulum (“a small monastic bell”).
Related phrases
More for "tintinnabulum"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.