Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A pleasant and affable disposition; geniality.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Frank and simple good-heartedness; a good-natured manner.
Wiktionary
- n. Geniality; friendliness; a pleasant, friendly, good-natured manner; an affable and approachable disposition; frank and simple good-heartedness.
- n. Friendly atmosphere; an atmosphere of good cheer.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. good nature; pleasant and easy manner.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a disposition to be friendly and approachable (easy to talk to)
Etymologies
- French, from bonhomme, good-natured man : bon, good (from Latin bonus; see deu-2 in Indo-European roots) + homme, man (from Latin homō; see dhghem- in Indo-European roots).
Examples
“The manners of the time had obviously a _bonhomie_ of their own -- certainly so on our particularly indulgent and humane little field; as to which general proposition the later applications and transformations of the bonhomie would be interesting to trace.”
“At this particular moment in our nation, ironic bonhomie is no substitute for making a stone cold sober decision to turn our political will into greater political power.”
“If Lakshmi Mittal was expecting just a smidgen of bonhomie from the French government over his hostile offer for Arcelor, he's a naive soul indeed.”
“(This bonhomie is borne out in testimonial after testimonial in the documentary Hugh Hefner: American Playboy.”
“The self effacement is uneccessary and merely invites "consensus building" and bonhomie, which is fucking pathetic and part of the problem with Franlin's little domesticated neverland to flog a dead horse”
“I believe this is the first time I have ever used the word "bonhomie" in anything I have ever written.”
The Huffington Post: Tallulah Morehead: Survivor 21: Infants vs Senior Citizens: Fetuses Gone Wild!
“Yeoville house exudes the kind of bonhomie that could only be borne of an Irish-Afrikaner union, and he loves his job at the Development Bank; particularly his daily interaction with Afrikaners he once spurned.”
“The very antipodes to the 'bonhomie' of this figure, confronted him as croupier at the foot of the table.”
“Although the Classic Rock story stated that the band's Abu Dhabi performance was filled with "bonhomie," that is clearly not the case offstage.”
“Christmas is always a busy time for our street rats who will often use 'bonhomie' as an excuse for their thuggery.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘bonhomie’.
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• The bonhomous lynchpin - And other words from...
plinth, starboard, bonhomie, bulkhead, brethren, gabardine, anon, lynchpin, vine, yoke, sequin, marigold and 12 more...
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qualities
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Franco
fin-de-siècle, sang-froid, minatory, loup, son et lumière, bonhomie, l'heure bleue, frippery
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found in Fuentes
Words found in books by Carlos Fuentes, as translated by Sam Hileman.
nickelodeon, stipendiary, dipsomaniac, bonhomie, goldbrick, Lower Empire Posture, lissome, gabardine
Prolagus
(Calamity song, by The Decemberists)
(*) No. Jan 19, 2011