Phrase guide

death knell

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /dɛθ nɛl/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛl

1

noun

Meaning 1

The tolling of a bell announcing death.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A marker, sign or omen foretelling the imminent end, death or destruction of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a bell rung to announce a death

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: death bell

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bell

4

noun

Meaning 4

an omen of death or destruction

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: omen, portent, presage, prognostic, prognostication, prodigy

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: صُور (ṣūr) — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Chinese Mandarin: 喪鐘 /丧钟 (sāngzhōng) — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Czech: hrana — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Finnish: kuolinkellot — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • French: glas — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • German: Totenglocke — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • German: Totengeläut — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Italian: rintocco funebre — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Japanese: 弔鐘 (chōshō) — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Polish: dzwon pogrzebowy — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Russian: погреба́льный звон (pogrebálʹnyj zvon) — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Swedish: själaringning — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Swedish: dödsklocka — tolling of a bell announcing death
  • Finnish: kuolinkellot — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • French: glas — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • German: Todesstoß — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • Polish: ostatnia godzina — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • Russian: погреба́льный звон (pogrebálʹnyj zvon) — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • Russian: стра́шное предзнаменова́ние (strášnoje predznamenovánije) — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • Spanish: sentencia de muerte — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something
  • Swedish: dödsstöt — sign foretelling the death or destruction of something