Meanings
nounbellycheer (uncountable)
- obsoleteuncountableFeasting.
and capable onely of loaves and belly-cheer!
1641, John Milton, Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defence against Smectymnuus; republished in A Complete Collection of the Historical, Political, and Miscellaneous Works of John Milton, […], volume I, Amsterdam [actually London: s.n.], 1698, →OCLC, page 1611 more example
He's now at supper with the scholars, where there's such belly-cheer as Wagner in his life ne'er saw the like: and, see where they come! belike the feast is ended.
1616, Christopher Marlowe, The Tragedy of Doctor Faustus
Origin
Uncertain, either borrowed from French belle chère or derived from belly + cheer; either way, see cheer.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
bellycheer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bellycheer
MLA
“bellycheer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bellycheer. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bellycheer,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bellycheer.
Source: bellycheer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.