bell housing

noun

variants or less commonly bellhousing

ˈbel-ˌhau̇-ziŋ

plural bell housings also bellhousings

automotive

: the bell-shaped housing covering the clutch and the flywheel in an automobile engine

After installing and torquing all the bellhousing bolts to spec, you can reinstall any motor mounts that you had removed, the drive axles, as well as any other components under the car.

—John Decker, Popular Mechanics, September 1997

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!