bonanza

noun

bo·​nan·​za bə-ˈnan-zə 

1

mining : an exceptionally large and rich mineral deposit (as of an ore, precious metal, or petroleum)

2

a

: something that is very valuable, profitable, or rewarding

a box-office bonanza

b

: a very large amount

a bonanza of sympathy

c

: extravaganza

channels planning all-day viewing bonanzas

—William Borders

Examples of bonanza in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Leafs had a secondary scoring bonanza this past weekend. —Jonas Siegel, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

That could be another tax bonanza proposed by the health conscious. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2025

But the United States’ return to nineteenth-century power politics will likely not yield the bonanza that Trump has promised. —Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2025

It’s been another bonanza year for board gaming, and this was an even harder list to put together than usual; dozens of list-worthy games were released this year. —James Palmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, literally, calm sea, from Medieval Latin bonacia, alteration of Latin malacia, from Greek malakia, literally, softness, from malakos soft

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for bonanza

• extravaganza
• stanza

Kids Definition

bonanza

noun

bo·​nan·​za bə-ˈnan-zə 

1

: a large and rich mineral deposit

2

: something that brings a rich return