Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BONHOMIE

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explore the archives: The "bon" in today's bonhomie means "good," and bonhomie describes good people with good hearts. So does ben_______, a related word meaning "kind and helpful toward other people." make your point with... "BONHOMIE" French for "good man," bonhomie is a spirit of friendliness and good nature. In other words, people with bonhomie are nice, easygoing, kindhearted, and easy to talk to. Pronunciation: bon uh ME Part of speech: Uncountable noun. (Like "milk," "rice," and "education," uncountable nouns are words for stuff that can’t be broken into exact units. You talk about "some milk," "the rice," and "a lot of education," but you don’t say "a milk," "three rices," or "many educations." Likewise, talk about "the bonhomie," "this bonhomie," "his bonhomie," "such bonhomie," "no bonhomie," and so on, but don’t say "a bonhomie," "one bonhomie," or "bonhomies.") Other forms: bonhomous ("BON uh muss") How to use it: Talk about someone's bonhomie or the bonhomie of someone, or someone who has (or displays or exudes) bonhomie, or someone who says or does something with bonhomie, or a place or event with a tone or mood of bonhomie. You can add an adjective: American bonhomie, infectious bonhomie, growing bonhomie, forced bonhomie or artificial bonhomie, etc. To use the adjective "bonhomous," talk about bonhomous people, bonhomous conversation, bonhomous relationships, a bonhomous place or event, bonhomous wit or humor or candor, or something with a bonhomous tone or mood. examples: As bad as our reputation overseas may otherwise be, at least we Americans are known for our bonhomie, for our warm conversation that treats strangers like friends. Over and over I heard that same response--"It was my pleasure!"--and realized it was regulated within the company, a kind of forced bonhomie. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "bonhomie" means when you can explain it without saying "easy to talk with" or "easy to approach." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some specific event or place) was more bonhomous than I expected, with (something especially friendly and warm)." Example: "The company dinner was more bonhomous than I expected, with plenty of uproarious laughter." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is called One-Word Titles! Rely on your cultural knowledge, your vocabulary, or both as we consider the power and simplicity of one-word titles. We'll recall movies, songs, books, television shows, and musicals with brief, meaningful, well-chosen titles of only one word each. Let's play! From yesterday: The monosyllabic title of this Collective Soul song, released in 1995, means "to become a single, solid form." The title is ___. Answer: Gel. Try this today: The title of this Kenny Loggins song, released in 1984 and featured in a movie with the same title, means "moving freely" or "free from commitments or responsibilities." The title is _________. review today's word: 1. A close opposite of BONHOMOUS is A. GARISH B. GLACIAL C. GOSSAMER 2. Known for both his humor and bonhomie, Tom laughs easily and _____ A. enjoys solitude. B. cooks creatively. C. calls everyone "brother." Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C