chime.
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.
Meaning & usage
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.
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.
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.
The sound of such an instrument or device.
The copier gave a chime to indicate that it had finished printing.
Chimes sing Sunday morn.
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.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English chymbe, chyme, probably from Old Northern French chimbe (“cymbal”), a back-formation from chimble, cimble, from Latin cymbalum; perhaps reinforced by a misinterpretation of a Middle English *chymbele (from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”)) as chymbe belle.
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.
To cause to sound in harmony; to play a tune, as upon a set of bells; to move or strike in harmony.
To utter harmoniously; to recite rhythmically.
To agree; to correspond.
The other lab's results chimed with mine, so I knew we were on the right track with the research.
To make a rude correspondence of sounds; to jingle, as in rhyming.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English chymbe, chyme, probably from Old Northern French chimbe (“cymbal”), a back-formation from chimble, cimble, from Latin cymbalum; perhaps reinforced by a misinterpretation of a Middle English *chymbele (from Old English ċimbala, ċimbal (“cymbal”)) as chymbe belle.
Alternative form of chine (“edge of a cask; part of a ship; etc.”).
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.