Bell vs. Chime — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 2, 2024
Bell produces a resonant sound when struck, typically made of metal and used for signals or alarms; chime involves multiple bells or tones harmoniously for melodic effects.
Difference Between Bell and Chime
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
A bell is a simple acoustic device made typically from metal, designed to emit a clear, resonant sound when struck. Whereas, a chime consists of multiple bells or similar instruments, each tuned to a specific note, which together produce a harmonic sequence or melody.
Bells are often used individually in settings like schools or churches to signal specific times or events. On the other hand, chimes are used to create sequences of tones, making them popular in musical or decorative contexts, such as wind chimes or door chimes.
The sound of a bell is generally singular and can be loud and penetrating, meant to draw attention or alert listeners. Whereas, chimes produce a series of tones that are more melodic and soothing, intended to create an ambiance or aesthetic pleasure.
In terms of mechanism, a bell typically operates with a clapper inside that strikes the bell to produce sound. Conversely, chimes may use external mallets or strikers for each bell or rod, allowing for the creation of complex melodies.
Bells have a long history of practical uses, from timekeeping to public alerts in communities. In contrast, chimes have been more associated with artistic and decorative purposes, enhancing environments through their melodic sounds.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Composition
Usually made of metal
Can be metal, wood, or other materials
Sound Type
Singular, resonant
Harmonic, melodic
Usage
Signals, alerts
Decoration, melody
Mechanism
Internal clapper
External mallets or strikers
Cultural Role
Historical, practical
Artistic, decorative
Compare with Definitions
Bell
A warning device on vehicles or machinery.
The train bell warns of its approach at the crossing.
Chime
A sequence of musical tones indicating time or presence.
The door chime announced visitors with a pleasant tune.
Bell
A hollow metal instrument that emits sound when struck.
The fire station bell rang loudly at noon.
Chime
A set of tuned bells used for musical effects.
The church chime played a melody every hour.
Bell
A signal sound in timed intervals, especially in institutions.
The school bell marks the end of each class.
Chime
A device that produces a melodious sound when triggered.
The wind chime creates soothing sounds on breezy days.
Bell
An electrical device that makes a ringing sound when activated.
She pressed the button and the doorbell chimed.
Chime
An electronic sound mimicking a harmonious bell.
The clock chime indicates every quarter hour with a tune.
Bell
A shaped device for producing musical sound.
The handbell choir performed a beautiful melody.
Chime
A musical instrument with multiple levels of tuned bars.
He played a song on the wind chime hanging on the porch.
Bell
A bell is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator.
Chime
An apparatus for striking a bell or set of bells to produce a musical sound.
Bell
A hollow metal musical instrument, usually cup-shaped with a flared opening, that emits a metallic tone when struck.
Chime
Often chimes(Music) A set of tuned bells used as an orchestral instrument.
Bell
The round, flared opening of a wind instrument at the opposite end from the mouthpiece.
Chime
A single bell, as in the mechanism of a clock.
Bell
Bells A percussion instrument consisting of metal tubes or bars that emit tones when struck.
Chime
The sound produced by or as if by a bell or bells.
Bell
A hollow, usually inverted vessel, such as one used for diving deep below the surface of a body of water.
Chime
Agreement; accord
A flawless chime of romance and reality.
Bell
The corolla of a flower
"In a cowslip's bell I lie" (Shakespeare).
Chime
The rim of a cask.
Bell
The body of a jellyfish.
Chime
To sound with a harmonious ring when struck.
Bell
A stroke on a hollow metal instrument to mark the hour.
Chime
To make a musical sound by striking a bell or set of bells.
Bell
The time indicated by the striking of this instrument, divided into half hours.
Chime
To be in agreement or accord
Harmonize.
Bell
The bellowing or baying cry of certain animals, such as a deer in rut or a beagle on the hunt.
Chime
To produce (music) by striking bells.
Bell
To put a bell on.
Chime
To strike (a bell) to produce music.
Bell
To cause to flare like a bell.
Chime
To signal or make known by chiming
The clock chimed noon.
Bell
To assume the form of a bell; flare.
Chime
To call, send, or welcome by chiming.
Bell
To utter long, deep, resonant sounds; bellow.
Chime
To repeat insistently.
Bell
A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck.
Chime
(musical instruments) A musical instrument producing a sound when struck, similar to a bell (e.g. a tubular metal bar) or actually a bell. Often used in the plural to refer to the set: the chimes.
Hugo had a recording of someone playing the chimes against a background of surf noise that she found calming.
Sylvia was a chime player in the school orchestra.
Bell
An instrument that emits a ringing sound, situated on a bicycle's handlebar and used by the cyclist to warn of his or her presence.
Chime
An individual ringing component of such a set.
Peter removed the C♯ chime from its mounting so that he could get at the dust that had accumulated underneath.
Bell
The sounding of a bell as a signal.
Chime
A small bell or other ringing or tone-making device as a component of some other device.
The professor had stuffed a wad of gum into the chime of his doorbell so that he wouldn't be bothered.
Bell
A telephone call.
I’ll give you a bell later.
Chime
The sound of such an instrument or device.
The copier gave a chime to indicate that it had finished printing.
Bell
A signal at a school that tells the students when a class is starting or ending.
Chime
A small hammer or other device used to strike a bell.
Strike the bell with the brass chime hanging on the chain next to it.
Bell
(music) The flared end of a brass or woodwind instrument.
Chime
(intransitive) To make the sound of a chime.
The microwave chimed to indicate that it was done cooking.
I got up for lunch as soon as the wall clock began chiming noon.
Bell
(nautical) Any of a series of strokes on a bell (or similar), struck every half hour to indicate the time (within a four hour watch)
Chime
(transitive) To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
Bell
The flared end of a pipe, designed to mate with a narrow spigot.
Chime
(transitive) To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
Bell
(computing) The bell character.
Chime
(intransitive) To agree; to correspond.
The other lab's results chimed with mine, so I knew we were on the right track with the research.
Bell
Anything shaped like a bell, such as the cup or corolla of a flower.
Chime
To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.
Bell
(architecture) The part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.
Chime
The harmonious sound of bells, or of musical instruments.
Instruments that made melodius chime.
Bell
A bubble.
Chime
A set of bells musically tuned to each other; specif., in the pl., the music performed on such a set of bells by hand, or produced by mechanism to accompany the striking of the hours or their divisions.
We have heard the chimes at midnight.
Bell
The bellow or bay of certain animals, such as a hound on the hunt or a stag in rut.
Chime
Pleasing correspondence of proportion, relation, or sound.
Bell
(transitive) To attach a bell to.
Who will bell the cat?
Chime
To sound in harmonious accord, as bells.
Bell
(transitive) To shape so that it flares out like a bell.
To bell a tube
Chime
To be in harmony; to agree; to suit; to harmonize; to correspond; to fall in with.
Everything chimed in with such a humor.
Bell
To telephone.
Chime
To join in a conversation; to express assent; - followed by in or in with.
Bell
(intransitive) To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom.
Hops bell.
Chime
To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.
Bell
(intransitive) To bellow or roar.
Chime
To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
And chime their sounding hammers.
Bell
(transitive) To utter in a loud manner; to thunder forth.
Chime
To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
Chime his childish verse.
Bell
A hollow metallic vessel, usually shaped somewhat like a cup with a flaring mouth, containing a clapper or tongue, and giving forth a ringing sound on being struck.
Chime
A percussion instrument consisting of vertical metal tubes of different lengths that are struck with a hammer
Bell
A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.
Chime
Emit a sound;
Bells and gongs chimed
Bell
Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower.
Bell
That part of the capital of a column included between the abacus and neck molding; also used for the naked core of nearly cylindrical shape, assumed to exist within the leafage of a capital.
Bell
The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.
Bell
To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat.
Bell
To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube.
Bell
To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.
Bell
To utter by bellowing.
Bell
To call or bellow, as the deer in rutting time; to make a bellowing sound; to roar.
As loud as belleth wind in hell.
The wild buck bells from ferny brake.
Bell
A hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
Bell
A push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed
Bell
The sound of a bell being struck;
Saved by the bell
She heard the distant toll of church bells
Bell
(nautical) each of the eight half-hour units of nautical time signaled by strokes of a ship's bell; eight bells signals 4:00, 8:00, or 12:00 o'clock, either a.m. or p.m.
Bell
The shape of a bell
Bell
A phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905)
Bell
English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961)
Bell
United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922)
Bell
A percussion instrument consisting of vertical metal tubes of different lengths that are struck with a hammer
Bell
The flared opening of a tubular device
Bell
Attach a bell to;
Bell cows
Common Curiosities
Can chimes be made of glass?
Yes, chimes can also be made of glass, often used for decorative purposes to produce gentle, tinkling sounds.
Are bells always used for alerts?
Primarily, but they also serve in ceremonies and traditional events as signaling devices.
Are bells considered musical instruments?
Yes, especially in certain contexts like orchestras or handbell choirs, bells are used musically.
What is the primary material for bells and chimes?
Bells are primarily made of metal, whereas chimes can be made from various materials including metal, wood, or synthetic substances.
How do bells and chimes produce sound?
Bells produce sound through an internal clapper striking the bell, while chimes typically use external strikers or mallets.
Do chimes have a specific musical scale?
Yes, chimes are often tuned to specific musical scales to produce harmonious melodies.
What are the typical settings where bells are found?
Bells are common in schools, churches, and public buildings as part of a signaling system.
Can chimes be electronic?
Yes, electronic chimes use synthesized sounds to mimic traditional chimes and can be programmed with various melodies.
What's the difference between a bell and a chime in terms of sound?
A bell emits a single, clear tone; a chime produces a series of harmonious tones.
How are wind chimes different from door chimes?
Wind chimes are activated by wind, while door chimes are activated by doors.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Essential vs. Quintessential
Next Comparison
Insightful vs. InformativeAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
