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bonhomie

noun
bon·​ho·​mie | \ ˌbä-nə-ˈmē How to pronounce bonhomie (audio) , ˌbō-\

Definition of bonhomie

: good-natured easy friendliness an undying bonhomie radiated from her— Jean Stafford
Other Words from bonhomie Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about bonhomie

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Other Words from bonhomie

bonhomous \ ˈbä-​nə-​məs How to pronounce bonhomous (audio) \ adjective

Did You Know?

English speakers borrowed bonhomie from the French, where the word was created from bonhomme, which means "good-natured man" and is itself a composite of two other French words: bon, meaning "good," and homme, meaning "man." That French compound traces to two Latin terms, bonus (meaning "good") and homo (meaning either "man" or "human being"). English speakers have warmly embraced bonhomie and its meaning, but we have also anglicized the pronunciation in a way that may make native French speakers cringe. (We hope they will be good-natured about it!)

Examples of bonhomie in a Sentence

the bonhomie of strangers singing together around a campfire

Recent Examples on the Web

 An air of bibulous bonhomie prevailed, and there was a spirit of geographic camaraderie. — Beth Segal, cleveland.com, "Thyme Table: Sage decisions can make for a great meal in Bay Village," 30 Aug. 2019 Too much frat-boy bonhomie sets off my alarms, squeezes the adrenals. — Los Angeles Times, "Postcard From L.A.: Del Mar always brings out the social crowd. This year, protesters also showed up," 25 July 2019 Such intergenerational bonhomie used to be unheard of in men’s tennis. — Kevin Craft, The Atlantic, "What the Men Can Learn From the Women at Wimbledon," 2 July 2019 Hootie was forged in the fire of resistance, not bonhomie. — Jon Caramanica, New York Times, "Hootie & the Blowfish, Great American Rock Band (Yes, Really)," 6 June 2019 The Boston Pride finally arrived and, with less bonhomie, shellacked the Riveters, 7-1. — Seth Berkman, New York Times, "Riveters’ Core Four Leads Way to First N.W.H.L. Championship," 25 Mar. 2018 Inside the court, Marshall brought his brethren together with the force of his will and a spirit of bonhomie. — Adam J. White, WSJ, "‘John Marshall’ Review: Chief Among Equals," 30 Nov. 2018 Beneath the new bonhomie in the official accounts of Mr. Kim’s trip, the edgy nature of the seven-decade-old China-North Korea relationship was still apparent. — Jane Perlez, New York Times, "Kim Jong-un’s China Visit Strengthens His Hand in Nuclear Talks," 28 Mar. 2018 Whether this photo-op summitry achieved anything beyond the bonhomie is a lot less clear. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Promises, Nuclear Promises," 12 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bonhomie.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of bonhomie

1777, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for bonhomie

French bonhomie, from bonhomme good-natured man, from bon good + homme man

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More Definitions for bonhomie

bonhomie

noun
How to pronounce bonhomie (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of bonhomie

formal : a feeling of friendliness among a group of people

See the full definition for bonhomie in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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