Knell

noun; verb (intransitive and transitive)

/nɛl/

The sound of a bell rung slowly and solemnly, especially to announce a death or a funeral; figuratively, a sign or omen marking the end or failure of something.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

The Supreme Court's verdict striking down the discriminatory provision sounded the death knell of an antiquated legal order, signalling that constitutional morality, not majoritarian sentiment, must anchor the Republic's governance.

Synonyms

tolltollingpealdirgedeath knellchime

Antonyms

fanfareflourishreveilleherald (of beginnings)

🌱 Word Family

knell (v), knelled (v past), knelling (v pres.p), death knell (n compound)

🔡 Root

Old English cnyll = sound of a bell; verb cnyllan = to toll a bell, knock; probably imitative

📜 Etymology

From Old English cnyll "sound of a bell," from the verb cnyllan "to toll a bell, strike, knock"; cognate with Middle High German erknellen "to resound" — probably imitative in origin. The initial "k" is silent.

🧠 Memory Hook

Sounds like "knell" rhyming with "bell" — picture a funeral BELL whose slow toll KNELLs the end; the silent k- is "dead", just like what it mourns.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Rise of Indian Nationalism & the INC (...

Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation