bonzer

English

Alternative forms

• boncer (obsolete)
• bonza

Etymology

Entered use 1890s, origin unknown.

In 2020 James Lambert reviewed previous theories, and supports derivation from:

• boncer (“large marble”) < bouncer (“something prodigiously large”)

Lambert also notes as not supported by evidence:

• bonanza
• French bon (“good”)
• "more fanciful" suggestions:
  • born star
  • Japanese 万歳 (banzai, “long live..., huzzah, hurrah”)
  • bonnie

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɒnzə/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Adjective

bonzer (comparative more bonzer, superlative most bonzer)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, informal) Remarkable; wonderful; excellent; terrific.
   • 1915, Young Men's Christian Associations. International Committee, For the millions of men now under arms, volume 2:

     To see their faces brighten and to hear their 'Thanks Cobber, that was bonzer!' was a joy

   • 1916, C. J. Dennis, "In Spadger′s Lane", in The Moods of Ginger Mick, 2009, Sydney University Press, page 36:

     To all the earth she gives the soft glad-eye;

     She picks no fav′rits in this world o′ men;

     She peeps in nooks, where ′appy lovers sigh,

     To make their joy more bonzer still; an′ then,

     O′er Spadger′s Lane she waves a podgy ′and,

     An′ turns the scowlin′ slums to Fairyland.

   • 1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter XIII, in Capricornia‎^[1], New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 220:

     You’ll make the bonzerest couple ever seen this side the Tropic.

   • 1945, Douglas Stewart, editor, Coast to Coast: Australian Stories 1945‎^[2], page 51:

     By cripes, you couldn′t have a more bonzer place for doing the thing in style with girls.

   • 1991, Noel Virtue, Always the Islands of Memory‎^[3], page 148:

     Inside sat one of the most bonzer sights she′d ever seen.

   • 2006, Philippa Todd, Dangerous Dating, page 110:

     The sadness about his father left his face, and he smiled. He seemed pleased to have something positive to do. / 'That's bonzer, Annie. Thanks' he said. 'You're a good sort. And as for Ches, well, he's real bonzer too.'

   • 2007, Eric Stone, The Living Room of the Dead, page 252:

     If playin' hero is so bonzer, what're you doin' in this job? Y'oughta be workin' for one o' those scandal rags, or with a crowd o' do-gooders, or for some investigation outfit or somethin'.

Translations

wonderful, excellent, terrific

• German: hervorragend (de), wundervoll (de)

Noun

bonzer (plural bonzers)

1. (Australia, New Zealand, informal, obsolete) An excellent person or thing.
   • 1904 August 28, The Truth, Sydney, page 1, column 7:

     King Ned is a "bonzer".

Synonyms

• (remarkable): bottler, ripper

Related terms

• bontodger
• bontosher, bontoshter
• boshter
• bosker

Further reading

• “bonzer”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Australian English Glossary from A to Zed - Travelogue
• Australian words: Encyclopedia II - Australian words - Old, declining or expired slang

Anagrams

• Bronze, bronze