What does bevelled mean?
Bevelled is the British English spelling of the past tense and past participle of the verb "bevel", which means to cut or shape an edge at an angle other than ninety degrees. As an adjective, it describes anything finished in this way — a bevelled mirror has a slanted rim that refracts light attractively, and a bevelled edge on a piece of furniture softens its outline and removes sharp corners. The word belongs largely to the vocabulary of craft and design: carpenters, glaziers, stonemasons, printers, and jewellers all work with bevels, and each trade gives the term a slightly specialised flavour. In American English the single-l spelling "beveled" predominates, so the choice of spelling signals regional convention rather than any difference of meaning. The word carries connotations of careful finish and refined craftsmanship, since bevelling usually serves either an aesthetic purpose — catching light, easing a line — or a practical one, such as making joints fit more snugly. It is a precise, technical term that nonetheless appears comfortably in everyday descriptions of furniture, glassware, and architecture.
Cut or shaped (something) at an angle other than a right angle.
"The craftsman bevelled each corner of the frame by hand."
Chiefly British spelling; American usage prefers "beveled".
Having an edge, surface, or face cut at a slanted angle rather than squared off.
"She admired the bevelled glass panels of the antique cabinet."
A bevelled mirror edge doesn't just look elegant — it catches and bends light in a way flat glass never can, which is why antique mirrors were prized for their bevels.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bevelled
The verb "bevel", from which bevelled derives, entered English in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century. Its ultimate origin is uncertain, though it is generally thought to come from an Old French source; some scholars connect it with French dialect forms and link it to "bezel", the sloped holding edge of a ring or tool. The word was established in English by tradesmen describing angled cuts long before it spread into broader design vocabulary.
Related word forms
How bevelled is actually used
The double-l spelling is standard in British English; American English typically uses the single-l form "beveled". The word belongs mostly to technical registers — woodworking, joinery, printing, optics, and masonry — though it appears in general writing about furniture, mirrors, and design.
Easily confused with bevelled
"Beveled" is simply the American English spelling of the same word, with one "l", while "bevelled" is the standard British spelling.