bonhomie

noun

bon·ho·mie ˌbä-nə-ˈmē

ˌbō-

Synonyms of bonhomie next

: good-natured easy friendliness

an undying bonhomie radiated from her—

Jean Stafford

bonhomous

ˈbä-nə-məs

adjective

Did you know?

English speakers borrowed bonhomie from 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

And if all this solo adventure sounds a little too remote for your taste, take in the bonhomie at Saipan, the capital of the Northern Marianas, over a mouthwatering plate of red rice and chicken kelaguen. —

Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2024 In September 2023, Kim Jong Un visited the Russian Far East and met with Putin amid rediscovered bonhomie. —

Sergey Radchenko, NPR, 19 June 2024 This bonhomie, however, did not produce any real change in Beijing’s foreign policy. —

Praveen Donthi, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2024 The oldest kid, Fred Jr. (Charlie Carrick), already an alcoholic but also possessing a natural bonhomie Donald lacks, bears the brunt of dad’s ire. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for bonhomie