bonfire

English

bonfire (large controlled outside fire).

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English bonefire, bonefyre, banefyre (“a fire in which bones are burnt”), equivalent to bone +‎ fire.[1] Cognate with Scots banefire (“bonfire”). More at bone, fire.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbɒnfaɪə/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈbɑnfaɪɚ/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

bonfire (plural bonfires)

  1. (obsolete) A fire in which bones are burned.
  2. A fire to burn unwanted or disreputable items or people: proscribed books, heretics etc.
  3. A large, controlled outdoor fire, as a signal or to celebrate something.

Derived terms

Translations

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See also

References

  1. ↑ “bonfire” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2018.

Anagrams

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