bell-bottoms

plural noun

bell-bot·​toms ˈbel-ˈbä-təmz How to pronounce bell-bottoms (audio)
: pants with wide flaring bottoms
bell-bottom adjective

Examples of bell-bottoms in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On March 1, the 31-year-old pop star shared another one of her casually sultry mirror selfies, this time dressed in a simple white tank top and bell-bottom jeans. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 3 Mar. 2024 The flair also began to expand, and by the ’70s, the bell-bottom took center stage. Ashley W. Simpson, Robb Report, 8 Feb. 2024 Lainey Wilson represented for country in a custom Balmain black bell-bottom look. Leanne Italie, Twin Cities, 4 Feb. 2024 Wilson in her signature bell-bottoms at a 2023 event in New York. Perrie Samotin, Glamour, 17 Jan. 2024 It could be found in the surge of Fleetwood Mac on the radio or rise of searches for vintage bell-bottom jeans. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 16 Jan. 2024 Finally, Kandel, wearing turquoise bell-bottoms and a purple blouse, read her work to a packed room of three thousand people. Joy Lanzendorfer, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2023 When done right, bell-bottoms give any look an instantly cool, groovy feel—whether paired with a blazer or a turtleneck. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2023 Reed was dressed head to toe in denim, with pearl-snap buttons on his shirt, frayed bell-bottoms, and a tumescent air of rock star entitlement. Will Hermes, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bell-bottoms.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bell-bottoms was in 1904

Dictionary Entries Near bell-bottoms

Cite this Entry

“Bell-bottoms.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bell-bottoms. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bell-bottoms

noun plural
bell-bot·​toms
ˈbel-ˈbät-əmz
: pants with legs that widen out at the bottom
bell-bottom adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on bell-bottoms

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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