bon vivant

English

Etymology

Borrowing from French bon vivant (literally “one who lives well, good ‘liver’ (living person)”), from bon (“good”) + vivant (“person who is living”), agent noun of vivre (“to live”).

Noun

bon vivant (plural bons vivants)

1. a person who enjoys the good things in life, especially good food and drink; a man about town

Translations

person who enjoys the good things in life, especially good food and drink

• French: bon vivant (fr)
• German: Bonvivant (de) m
• Italian: gaudente (it) m and f

• Russian: жуир (ru) (žuir)
• Swedish: goddagsplit (sv)

Related terms

• joie de vivre

See also

• boulevardier
• dandy
• man about town