bonnie

See also: Bonnie

English

Alternative forms

• bonny
• bonie (obsolete)

Etymology 1

From Middle English *bonie (attested only rarely as bon, boun), probably from Old French bon, feminine bonne (“good”), from Latin bonus (“good”). See bounty, and compare bonus, boon.

Adjective

bonnie (comparative bonnier or more bonnie, superlative bonniest or most bonnie)

1. Merry; happy.

   Synonyms: frolicsome, cheerful, blithe, gay

   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     Be you blithe and bonny
     Converting all your sounds of woe
     Into Hey nonny, nonny.

2. (Scotland, Geordie) Beautiful; pretty; attractive; handsome.
   • 1774, “Handsome Nell”, Robert Burns (lyrics), published 1803:

     O once I lov'd a bonnie lass, / Aye, and I love her still

3. (Scotland, Geordie) Fine, good (often used ironically).

   My bonnie friend, come over here.

Derived terms

• Inchbonnie

 

Translations

Gay; merry; frolicsome; cheerful; blithe

• Danish: frejdig
• Polish: wesoły (pl) m
• Swedish: ljuv (sv)

Beautiful; pretty; attractive

• Czech: hezký (cs), pěkný (cs)
• Irish: dathúil, dóighiúil, slachtmhar
• Polish: piękny (pl) m
• Russian: краси́вый (ru) (krasívyj), ми́лый (ru) (mílyj)

Etymology 2

A bonnie, shortly before Eleventh Night.

Clipping of bonfire.

Noun

bonnie (plural bonnies)

1. (Northern Ireland, colloquial) A bonfire; chiefly one several storeys tall and burned to celebrate Eleventh Night.

References

• “bonnie”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Benoni, Bonine, bone-in

Scots

Adjective

bonnie (comparative mair bonnie, superlative maist bonnie)

1. Alternative spelling of bonny