Attractive young women, or beautiful women admired in society, particularly used in old-fashioned or Southern contexts.
From French 'belle' meaning 'beautiful,' derived from Latin 'bellus.' The plural form adds the -s ending, and it was particularly popular in 18th-century European courts to describe celebrated young women.
The term 'belle' peaked in popularity during the Victorian era when being a 'belle' at balls was literally a woman's ticket to social and economic success—your looks determined your marriage prospects!
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