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!)
Example Sentences
the bonhomie of strangers singing together around a campfire
Recent Examples on the WebDespite their differences on Syria, the leaders took care to exude bonhomie.New York Times, 19 July 2022 By now, it must be said, the quips are beginning to wear a little thin, the vinyl-era needle drops a little less cool, the quotation marks a little more obvious among the ironic references and self-mocking bonhomie. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 5 July 2022 On the show, Phil and his co-hosts gab in crisp accents about pawn sacrifices and variations on the Sicilian Defense with the rowdy bonhomie of lads closing down a pub. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 13 July 2022 Colin Firth is uncanny as Peterson, mimicking his avuncular bonhomie, and hinting at the stormy temper and dangerous narcissism that lurks beneath it. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 5 May 2022 When pub doors, the lifeblood of the craic that binds Irish bonhomie, shuttered for months during the initial pandemic lockdown, the seed for a new business segment was born. Mike Dojc, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 The two made a point of emphasising their personal bonhomie. Ian Hall, Quartz, 1 Apr. 2022 Andrew was also by now serving a vital supporting role to his beloved mother, who valued his bonhomie and sense of mischief as well as his duty. Simon Usborne, Town & Country, 13 Mar. 2022 Both Modi and Facebook chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have exuded bonhomie, memorialized by a 2015 image of the two hugging at the Facebook headquarters. Sheikh Saaliq And Krutika Pathi, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
French bonhomie, from bonhomme good-natured man, from bon good + homme man