jingled

Jingled is the past tense and past participle of the verb jingle. It describes the action of producing or causing a light ringing sound, typically from small metal objects such as bells, coins, keys, or charms. The term can refer to the sound itself ("The bells jingled softly") or to the act of producing the sound ("The coins jingled in his pocket").

The verb jingle is an onomatopoeic formation that imitates the sound it denotes. It appears in English from at least the 15th century, with an origin that is broadly considered imitative and uncertain in its exact derivation. Jingled follows standard English regular conjugation for -ed past tense forms.

In modern usage, jingled is common in narrative writing to convey motion or sound, especially when objects such as keys, coins, or decorative bells are involved. The phrase "jingled with bells" implies decoration or adornment that produces a ringing sound, while "the bells jingled" emphasizes the auditory effect.

Related terms include jingle (the noun for a short ringing sound or a small bell) and jingle bells, the well-known Christmas phrase and song title. Jingled is specifically the verb form; the present participle is jingling.