Beffroi (en. Belfry)

/bɛfʁwa/

Meaning & Definition

EnglishFrench

noun

Municipal building, often in Gothic style, serving as a bell tower and a gathering point.

The town's belfry is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Le beffroi de la ville est inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l'UNESCO.

Bell or group of bells suspended from a belfry.

The ringing of the belfry's bell echoed throughout the valley.

Les sonneries de la cloche du beffroi résonnaient dans toute la vallée.

Structure used as a watchtower in ancient fortifications.

The belfry allowed the sentinels to watch the surroundings.

Le beffroi permettait aux sentinelles de surveiller les alentours.

From Old French 'befroi', derived from the Frankish *bifrag, meaning 'watch'.

to toll from the belfry

To sound the hours, to ring the bells.

retentir du beffroi

at the belfry

In the center of a town, often a meeting point.

au beffroi

municipal belfry

An important building for local administration.

beffroi municipal

bell

Metal instrument that produces sound when struck.

cloche

tower

Elevated building generally intended for surveillance or habitation.

tour

heritage

The totality of inherited goods from a common past.

patrimoine

Used to refer to an eccentric person.

He's a bit of a belfry with his wacky ideas.

Il est un peu beffroi avec ses idées loufoques.

Humorous reference to a chaotic situation.

It's a total belfry here, everyone is talking at the same time.

C'est un beffroi total ici, tout le monde parle en même temps.