noun
bellows
BEHL-ohz
noun
1
A hand-operated device that pumps a blast of air when squeezed, used to fan a fire or power an instrument like an accordion.
"He pumped the bellows to get the campfire blazing."
2
Informally, the lungs.
"After the marathon his bellows were burning."
How to Use Bellows
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA squeeze-operated tool for pumping air, classically used to stoke a fire.
Memory tip
It looks plural but is normally treated as a single item — "a pair of bellows," like scissors.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
a pair of bellows
pump the bellows
Word Forms
bellowsed past tense, bellows plural, bellowses singular
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He pumped the _____ to get the campfire blazing.
Etymology
From an Old English word meaning "bag" or "skin" — related to "belly," since early bellows were essentially inflatable leather bags.