Bonsoir

/bɔ̃ˈswɑːr/ interjection

Definition

A French greeting meaning 'good evening,' used to say hello or goodbye in the evening.

Etymology

From French 'bon' (good) and 'soir' (evening), derived from Latin 'sera.' It's the evening equivalent of 'bonjour' (good day), following the same pattern.

Kelly Says

French and many Romance languages change greetings based on time of day—'bonsoir' at evening, 'bonjour' during day—but English just says 'hello' all day, showing how different languages value time-specific courtesy!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.