bonjour

English

Etymology

Borrowing from French

Verb

bonjour (third-person singular simple present bonjours, present participle bonjouring, simple past and past participle bonjoured)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To greet in French with "bonjour".
   • 1938, Donald Barr Chidsey, Each one was alone‎

     He went on down the boulevard, bonjouring right and left, lifting his hat, bowing. He moved very slowly.

   • 1988, Gary Hart, The Strategies of Zeus‎

     Connaughton entered the simple but cheery restaurant, checked his coat, bonjoured the maître d'...

   • 2005, James H Irwin, Mokanshan: A Tale of Wallis Simpson's Naughty Shanghai Postcards

     They bonjoured back and stood there awkwardly. Finally, Flood broke the silence.

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French

Etymology

bon (“good”) +‎ jour (“day”).

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /bɔ̃.ʒuʁ/, X-SAMPA: /bO~.ZuR/

Noun

bonjour m (plural bonjours)

1. Salutation; hello.

   Tu passeras le bonjour à ta mère.

Interjection

bonjour

1. Good day; good morning, good afternoon...; hello.

   Bonjour, mon ami !

   Greetings, friend!

   Bonjour, monsieur le Président !

   Hello, Mr. President!

2. (Quebec) goodbye

Synonyms

• salut (familiar)

Antonyms

• au revoir

Derived terms

• bonjourer
• rebonjour

Related terms

• bonne année
• bonne journée
• bonne nuit
• bonsoir