bonny

adjective

bon·​ny ˈbä-nē How to pronounce bonny (audio)
variants or less commonly bonnie
bonnier; bonniest
chiefly British
bonnily adverb

Examples of bonny in a Sentence

one of several inns in the Lake District offering bonny accommodations and bountiful breakfasts a bonny child dressed in traditional Scottish clothing
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.
One of the most conspicuous heralds is a bonny buttercup named the winter aconite. Adrian Higgins, Washington Post, 4 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (Scots) bonie, perhaps ultimately from Anglo-French bon good, from Latin bonus — more at bounty

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bonny was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near bonny

Cite this Entry

“Bonny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonny. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bonny

adjective
bon·​ny ˈbän-ē How to pronounce bonny (audio)
bonnier; bonniest
chiefly British

More from Merriam-Webster on bonny

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!