Bonsoir Definition & Meaning

Definition

Usage

Examples

bonsoir American [bawn-swar] / bɔ̃ˈswar /

interjection

French.

1. good evening; good night.

Usage

What does bonsoir mean? Bonsoir means good evening or good night.Bonsoir is borrowed directly from French, in which it means the same thing.Like many other expressions that have been borrowed from French (such as the more well-known bonjour, meaning “good day,” “good morning,” or simply “hello”), bonsoir is typically used in English to be a bit fancy or sound sophisticated.Example: Bonsoir, bon ami—until we meet again!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was a surprising diplomatic event on New York’s Upper East Side — one that started with an auspicious “bonsoir,” and ended with an unexpected “au revoir.”

From New York Times

Farmer says “Bonsoir” to one man and Ti Jean shushes him, then issues these instructions: if someone passes you at night and doesn’t speak, you, too, must remain silent, but if the person asks who you are, you must say, “I am who you are,” and if the person asks what you do, you must say, “I do what you do.”

From Literature

She has also played with bands such as Yvette Landry & the Jukes and Bonsoir, Catin.

From Washington Times

ZinZanni artistic director Reenie Duff, who had long admired Lallone’s work at PNB, approached her to play a ballerina role in “Bonsoir Liliane!”

From Seattle Times

Each one offers a soft “bonsoir” to Riccardi, then proffers a hand to the two strangers in the room.

From New York Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.