Bellringers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. People who ring church bells or handbells for musical performance or signaling ; something strikingly impressive or remarkable
2. Individuals who operate bells for ceremonial or musical purposes ; something that attracts attention by being notably eye-catching or sensational
3. Those who sound bells as part of their role or activity ; anything notably striking, surprising, or attention-grabbing

Etymology: Bellringers is a plain compound: "bell" plus "ringer," the agent noun from "ring." The "ringer" half is the more interesting one. Old English "hringan" meant to make a resonant sound, and the agent suffix "-er" turned the verb into "one who rings." English has used "ringer" for a bell-pulling person since at least the Middle Ages, which is why church towers have long had their own teams of them. The plural adds nothing to the meaning. It is simply the plural of "bellringer," so each person who pulls a rope or handles a bell is counted separately.

Synonyms: bell-ringers, campanologists