From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbellebelle /bel/ noun [countable] old-fashioned WOMANa beautiful girl or womanthe belle of the ball (=the most beautiful girl at a dance or party)
Examples from the Corpus
belle• Her streaky blonde hair and skimpy bikini were those of a nineteen-year-old beach belle.• a Southern belle• Sarah Stewart is a real Southern belle from Jackson, Mississippi, with long blonde hair and a magnolia drawl.• Among the belles in that house Susan went relatively unnoticed, and could escape the dancing when she chose.the belle of the ball• Caroline was the belle of the ball in her silver and white evening gown.Origin belle (1600-1700) French from the feminine form of beau; → BEAU 