dumbbell

[ duhm-bel ]

noun

1. a gymnastic apparatus consisting of two wooden or metal balls connected by a short bar serving as a handle, used as a weight for exercising.
2. a stupid person.

   Synonyms: dimwit, blockhead, fool, ignoramus, dunce

dumbbell

/ ˈdʌmˌbɛl /

noun

1. gymnastics weightlifting an exercising weight consisting of a single bar with a heavy ball or disc at either end
2. a small wooden object shaped like this used in dog training for the dog to retrieve
3. slang.
   a fool

Word History and Origins

Origin of dumbbell¹

First recorded in 1705–15; dumb + bell ¹

Example Sentences

Cedars-Sinai’s Gulati notes the many different forms of strength training beyond the stereotypical image of iron dumbbells or a hulking barbell.

From Los Angeles Times

The men's facility featured rows of workout platforms, outfitted with dumbbells, barbells and weights capable of going into the hundreds of pounds.

From BBC

"The dumbbell thus acts a bit like the needle on a compass, allowing us to read off the z coordinate according to its orientation," says Prof. Dr. Dieter Meschede.

From Science Daily

A bright painted mural on one wall announced Freedom Home; another, next to a heavy punching bag and some dumbbells, commemorated actress Betty White, who campaigned for animal welfare.

From Seattle Times

“I was in my lounge/office area in Brooklyn. I actually grabbed some dumbbells that my son had in there for whatever reason,” Wright remembers, pantomiming doing bicep curls at a furious pace.

From Los Angeles Times