bonbon

Etymology

Borrowed from French bonbon, reduplication of bon (“good”), from Latin bonus.

Noun

bonbon (plural bonbons)

1. A sweet, especially a small chocolate-covered candy.
2. (cooking) A small, spherical savory snack or canapé.

   The terrine was served with black pudding bonbons.

3. (Australia, South Africa) A Christmas cracker.

Alternative forms

• bonbón

Noun

bonbon m inan

1. candy

Etymology

Borrowed from French bonbon.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɔnˈbɔn/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

bonbon m (plural bonbons, diminutive bonbonnetje n)

1. A small chocolate-covered candy.

Etymology

Reduplication of bon.

The standard rule in French is to write m in front of /m/, /p/ or /b/ – the rule does not apply to the words derived from bon: embonpoint, bonbonne and bonbonnière.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɔ̃.bɔ̃/

• audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ̃

Noun

bonbon m (plural bonbons)

1. sweet, candy

   Je vous ai apporté des bonbons
   Parce que les fleurs c'est périssable
   Puis les bonbons c'est tellement bon
   Bien que les fleurs soient plus présentables
   Surtout quand elles sont en boutons
   Mais je vous ai apporté des bonbons. (Jacques Brel, Les bonbons, 1964)

   • 2017 October 19, “Hallohallo”, in Le Coupe-Circuit [The Circuit Breaker] (in French), Konami:

     Hallo, hallo, vide du cerveau,
     Plus d’entrailles, pas de ventre rond.
     Friand de bonbons et chamallows,
     Attention à toi et à ton sac de bonbons.

     Hallo, hallo, brain is hollow,
     More of guts, none of a round belly.
     Tasty of sweets and marshmallows,
     Watch yourself and your sack of candy.

Adverb

bonbon

1. (slang) expensive

Further reading

• “bonbon” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).