Bell vs. Tongue — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 12, 2024
"Bell" refers to a hollow instrument that produces sound when struck, typically made of metal, while "tongue" often describes the flexible, muscular organ in the mouth or a striking part of a bell.
Difference Between Bell and Tongue
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A "bell" is an acoustical instrument made of metal that emits sound through vibration when its internal clapper or external hammer strikes it. In contrast, a "tongue" is primarily the fleshy, movable organ inside the mouth of most animals, essential for tasting, swallowing, and articulating speech.
In musical instruments, the bell is crucial for producing resonant tones, often seen in churches, clocks, and musical settings. Meanwhile, the tongue’s role in speech involves shaping the sounds produced by the air from the lungs, making it fundamental in verbal communication.
The bell’s design includes a hollow body that resonates to produce sound waves, often used symbolically in various cultures for purposes like calling for attention or signaling time. On the other hand, the tongue's physiological functions include manipulating food for mastication and is vital for proper digestion.
In the context of a bell, the "tongue" can also refer to the clapper inside the bell, which is the movable component that strikes the bell to produce sound. This specific usage links both terms but in a mechanical and metaphorical sense contrasting the organic nature of the human or animal tongue.
Bells have been historically significant in many societies for religious and ceremonial uses, often made from materials like bronze or brass. The tongue, however, is studied extensively in medical and biological sciences for its importance in health and human development.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Function
To produce sound through vibration.
To assist in taste, swallowing, and speech.
Material/Composition
Typically made of metals like bronze or brass.
A muscular organ covered with taste buds.
Usage in Context
Used in religious, musical, and timekeeping roles.
Essential for digestion and verbal communication.
Symbolic Meaning
Often symbolic in ceremonies and public events.
Symbolic in expressions, e.g., "mother tongue."
Secondary Meaning
The clapper inside a bell is also called a tongue.
No secondary meaning associated with sound production.
Compare with Definitions
Bell
A hollow metallic device that sounds when struck.
The church bell rang every hour.
Tongue
The primary organ of taste located in the mouth.
The burn left her tongue numb.
Bell
An instrument in percussion to create musical notes.
He played the bell in the orchestra.
Tongue
Essential for articulating speech and sounds.
His tongue twisted with every complex word.
Bell
A shaped device used for signaling or ceremonial purposes.
The fire bell warned everyone of danger.
Tongue
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical vertebrate. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste.
Bell
Used metaphorically to denote sound or a call to attention.
His words rang a bell in her memory.
Tongue
The fleshy muscular organ in the mouth of a mammal, used for tasting, licking, swallowing, and (in humans) articulating speech.
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.
Tongue
Used in reference to a person's style or manner of speaking
He was a redoubtable debater with a caustic tongue
Bell
A hollow metal musical instrument, usually cup-shaped with a flared opening, that emits a metallic tone when struck.
Tongue
A strip of leather or fabric under the laces in a shoe, attached only at the front end.
Bell
The round, flared opening of a wind instrument at the opposite end from the mouthpiece.
Tongue
The free-swinging metal piece inside a bell which is made to strike the bell to produce the sound.
Bell
Bells A percussion instrument consisting of metal tubes or bars that emit tones when struck.
Tongue
A long, low promontory of land.
Bell
A hollow, usually inverted vessel, such as one used for diving deep below the surface of a body of water.
Tongue
A projecting strip on a wooden board fitting into a groove on another.
Bell
The corolla of a flower
"In a cowslip's bell I lie" (Shakespeare).
Tongue
The vibrating reed of a musical instrument or organ pipe.
Bell
The body of a jellyfish.
Tongue
A jet of flame
A tongue of flame flashed from the gun
Bell
A stroke on a hollow metal instrument to mark the hour.
Tongue
Sound (a note) distinctly on a wind instrument by interrupting the air flow with the tongue
Eugene has worked out the correct tonguing
Bell
The time indicated by the striking of this instrument, divided into half hours.
Tongue
Lick or caress with the tongue
The other horse tongued every part of the colt's mane
Bell
The bellowing or baying cry of certain animals, such as a deer in rut or a beagle on the hunt.
Tongue
The fleshy, movable, muscular organ, attached in most vertebrates to the floor of the mouth, that is the principal organ of taste, an aid in chewing and swallowing, and, in humans, an important organ of speech.
Bell
To put a bell on.
Tongue
An analogous organ or part in invertebrate animals, as in certain insects or mollusks.
Bell
To cause to flare like a bell.
Tongue
The tongue of an animal, such as a cow, used as food.
Bell
To assume the form of a bell; flare.
Tongue
A spoken language or dialect.
Bell
To utter long, deep, resonant sounds; bellow.
Tongue
Speech; talk
If there is goodness in your heart, it will come to your tongue.
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.
Tongue
The act or power of speaking
She had no tongue to answer.
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.
Tongue
Tongues Speech or vocal sounds produced in a state of religious ecstasy.
Bell
The sounding of a bell as a signal.
Tongue
Style or quality of utterance
Her sharp tongue.
Bell
A telephone call.
I’ll give you a bell later.
Tongue
The bark or baying of a hunting dog that sees game
The dog gave tongue when the fox came through the hedge.
Bell
A signal at a school that tells the students when a class is starting or ending.
Tongue
The vibrating end of a reed in a wind instrument.
Bell
(music) The flared end of a brass or woodwind instrument.
Tongue
A flame.
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)
Tongue
The flap of material under the laces or buckles of a shoe.
Bell
The flared end of a pipe, designed to mate with a narrow spigot.
Tongue
A spit of land; a promontory.
Bell
(computing) The bell character.
Tongue
A bell clapper.
Bell
Anything shaped like a bell, such as the cup or corolla of a flower.
Tongue
The harnessing pole attached to the front axle of a horse-drawn vehicle.
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.
Tongue
A protruding strip along the edge of a board that fits into a matching groove on the edge of another board.
Bell
A bubble.
Tongue
(Music) To separate or articulate (notes played on a brass or wind instrument) by shutting off the stream of air with the tongue.
Bell
The bellow or bay of certain animals, such as a hound on the hunt or a stag in rut.
Tongue
To touch or lick with the tongue.
Bell
(transitive) To attach a bell to.
Who will bell the cat?
Tongue
To give (someone) a French-kiss.
Bell
(transitive) To shape so that it flares out like a bell.
To bell a tube
Tongue
To provide (a board) with a tongue.
Bell
To telephone.
Tongue
To join by means of a tongue and groove.
Bell
(intransitive) To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom.
Hops bell.
Tongue
(Archaic) To scold.
Bell
(intransitive) To bellow or roar.
Tongue
(Music) To articulate notes on a brass or wind instrument.
Bell
(transitive) To utter in a loud manner; to thunder forth.
Tongue
To project
A spit of land tonguing into the bay.
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.
Tongue
The flexible muscular organ in the mouth that is used to move food around, for tasting and that is moved into various positions to modify the flow of air from the lungs in order to produce different sounds in speech.
Bell
A hollow perforated sphere of metal containing a loose ball which causes it to sound when moved.
Tongue
This organ, as taken from animals used for food (especially cows).
Cold tongue with mustard
Bell
Anything in the form of a bell, as the cup or corol of a flower.
Tongue
Any similar organ, such as the lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk; the proboscis of a moth or butterfly; or the lingua of an insect.
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.
Tongue
(metonym) A language.
He was speaking in his native tongue.
Bell
The strikes of the bell which mark the time; or the time so designated.
Tongue
(obsolete) Speakers of a language, collectively.
Bell
To put a bell upon; as, to bell the cat.
Tongue
(obsolete) Voice the distinctive sound of a person's speech; accent distinctive manner of pronouncing a language.
Bell
To make bell-mouthed; as, to bell a tube.
Tongue
Manner of speaking, often habitually.
Bell
To develop bells or corollas; to take the form of a bell; to blossom; as, hops bell.
Tongue
(metonym) A person speaking in a specified manner (most often plural).
Bell
To utter by bellowing.
Tongue
The power of articulate utterance; speech generally.
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.
Tongue
(obsolete) Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
Bell
A hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
Tongue
Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
Bell
A push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed
Tongue
(obsolete) Honourable discourse; eulogy.
Bell
The sound of a bell being struck;
Saved by the bell
She heard the distant toll of church bells
Tongue
Glossolalia.
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.
Tongue
In a shoe, the flap of material that goes between the laces and the foot (so called because it resembles a tongue in the mouth).
Bell
The shape of a bell
Tongue
Any large or long physical protrusion on an automotive or machine part or any other part that fits into a long groove on another part.
Bell
A phonetician and father of Alexander Graham Bell (1819-1905)
Tongue
A projection, or slender appendage or fixture.
The tongue of a buckle, or of a balance
Bell
English painter; sister of Virginia Woolf; prominent member of the Bloomsbury Group (1879-1961)
Tongue
A long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or lake.
Bell
United States inventor (born in Scotland) of the telephone (1847-1922)
Tongue
The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
Bell
A percussion instrument consisting of vertical metal tubes of different lengths that are struck with a hammer
Tongue
The clapper of a bell.
Bell
The flared opening of a tubular device
Tongue
(figuratively) An individual point of flame from a fire.
Bell
Attach a bell to;
Bell cows
Tongue
A small sole (type of fish).
Bell
The clapper part, also known as the tongue of the bell.
The bell's tongue was replaced due to wear.
Tongue
(nautical) A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also, the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
Tongue
(music) A reed.
Tongue
(geology) A division of formation; A layer or member of a formation that pinches out in one direction.
Tongue
On a wind instrument, to articulate a note by starting the air with a tap of the tongue, as though by speaking a 'd' or 't' sound (alveolar plosive).
Playing wind instruments involves tonguing on the reed or mouthpiece.
Tongue
(slang) To manipulate with the tongue, as in kissing or oral sex.
Tongue
To protrude in relatively long, narrow sections.
A soil horizon that tongues into clay
Tongue
To join by means of a tongue and groove.
To tongue boards together
Tongue
To talk; to prate.
Tongue
To speak; to utter.
Tongue
To chide; to scold.
Tongue
An organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch.
To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
Tongue
The power of articulate utterance; speech.
Parrots imitating human tongue.
Tongue
Discourse; fluency of speech or expression.
Much tongue and much judgment seldom go together.
Tongue
Honorable discourse; eulogy.
She was born noble; let that title find her a private grave, but neither tongue nor honor.
Tongue
A language; the whole sum of words used by a particular nation; as, the English tongue.
Whose tongue thou shalt not understand.
To speak all tongues.
Tongue
Speech; words or declarations only; - opposed to thoughts or actions.
My little children, let us love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
Tongue
A people having a distinct language.
A will gather all nations and tongues.
Tongue
The lingual ribbon, or odontophore, of a mollusk.
Tongue
Any small sole.
Tongue
That which is considered as resembing an animal's tongue, in position or form.
Tongue
A projection, or slender appendage or fixture; as, the tongue of a buckle, or of a balance.
Tongue
A projection on the side, as of a board, which fits into a groove.
Tongue
A point, or long, narrow strip of land, projecting from the mainland into a sea or a lake.
Tongue
The pole of a vehicle; especially, the pole of an ox cart, to the end of which the oxen are yoked.
Tongue
The clapper of a bell.
Tongue
A short piece of rope spliced into the upper part of standing backstays, etc.; also. the upper main piece of a mast composed of several pieces.
Tongue
To speak; to utter.
Tongue
To chide; to scold.
How might she tongue me.
Tongue
To modulate or modify with the tongue, as notes, in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
Tongue
To join means of a tongue and grove; as, to tongue boards together.
Tongue
To talk; to prate.
Tongue
To use the tongue in forming the notes, as in playing the flute and some other wind instruments.
Tongue
A mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
Tongue
A human written or spoken language used by a community; opposed to e.g. a computer language
Tongue
Any long thin projection that is transient;
Tongues of flame licked at the walls
Rifles exploded quick knives of fire into the dark
Tongue
A manner of speaking;
He spoke with a thick tongue
She has a glib tongue
Tongue
A narrow strip of land that juts out into the sea
Tongue
The tongue of certain animals used as meat
Tongue
The flap of material under the laces of a shoe or boot
Tongue
Metal striker that hangs inside a bell and makes a sound by hitting the side
Tongue
Articulate by tonguing, as when playing wind instruments
Tongue
Lick or explore with the tongue
Tongue
Used metaphorically to represent language or speech.
English is his mother tongue.
Tongue
A part of some mechanical devices, functioning similarly to an organic tongue.
The shoe's tongue irritated his foot.
Tongue
Involved in processing and manipulating food.
He used his tongue to roll the candy.
Common Curiosities
How do bells and tongues function in their respective roles?
Bells produce sound by vibration; tongues help in taste, speech, and food manipulation.
Can the term "tongue" be used to describe a part of a bell?
Yes, the tongue can refer to the clapper inside a bell.
What materials are typically used to make bells?
Bells are usually made from metals like bronze or brass.
Why is the tongue essential for speech?
The tongue shapes the sounds made by the air from the lungs, allowing for articulate speech.
What are some symbolic uses of bells in society?
Bells symbolize alerts, calls to prayer, or the marking of time.
Are there different types of bells?
Yes, including church bells, carillons, and handbells.
What happens when the tongue is injured?
It can impair taste, speech, and the ability to eat.
What are the main differences between a bell and a tongue?
A bell is a metallic sound-producing device, while a tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth involved in taste and speech.
What are the health implications of tongue disorders?
Disorders can affect taste, speech, and overall oral health.
Can animals' tongues have unique features?
Yes, such as the ant-eating capabilities of an anteater's long tongue.
What is the significance of the bell in music?
It is used to add distinct tones and rhythms in various musical compositions.
How does the human tongue aid in digestion?
The tongue manipulates food, making it easier to swallow and digest.
How do different cultures utilize the bell?
In some cultures, bells are used in religious rituals and public ceremonies.
Can both terms be used metaphorically?
Yes, both have metaphorical uses related to communication and alertness.
How is the tongue involved in tasting food?
It contains taste buds that detect sweet, salty, bitter, and sour flavors.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
