NOUN (1)

1. a young woman who is the most charming and beautiful of several rivals;
- Example: "she was the belle of the ball"

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Belle \Belle\ (b[e^]l), n. [F. belle, fem. of bel, beau,
   beautiful, fine. See Beau.]
   A young lady of superior beauty and attractions; a handsome
   lady, or one who attracts notice in society; a fair lady.
   [1913 Webster]

U.S. Gazetteer (1990):

Belle, MO (city, FIPS 4150)
  Location: 38.28577 N, 91.72229 W
  Population (1990): 1218 (587 housing units)
  Area: 3.1 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 65013
Belle, WV (town, FIPS 5836)
  Location: 38.23250 N, 81.53986 W
  Population (1990): 1421 (688 housing units)
  Area: 1.8 sq km (land), 0.2 sq km (water)

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

32 Moby Thesaurus words for "belle":
   Miss America, bathing beauty, beau ideal, beaut, beauty,
   beauty contest winner, beauty queen, bunny, charmer, cover girl,
   dazzler, dream, enchantress, fine lady, grande dame, great beauty,
   knockout, lady fair, looker, model, paragon, peach, pinup,
   pinup girl, precieuse, pussycat, raving beauty, reigning beauty,
   sex kitten, slick chick, stunner, toast