bonny
10
7.0
- adjective
- /ˈbɑni/
- UK
- Why-o, lassie, a bonny new collar.
- blithe and bonny
Examples
-
At the festival, the bonny flowers in full bloom brightened the entire park.
-
The bonny child danced joyfully in the garden, attracting everyone's attention.
-
A beautiful, bonny little baby girl.
-
"You were such a bonny little girl," he said to her, smiling.
Fiction book (1996) -
Prince Charming himself couldn't resist such a bonny, wee girl.
-
You're as trim and as bonny as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat of paint
-
The bonny young woman smiled brightly, radiating confidence and charm.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Attractive in a small, pretty, or charming way
∞
1.0
Pleasing to the senses or feelings
653
1.0
Pleasing to look at or enjoy and making people interested
623
2.0
Very beautiful to look at
450
1.0
Pleasant and attractive in a way that people like
307
1.2
Having a nice face or body that people find attractive
156
1.0
Pleasant to look at, often with light hair or skin
17
6.7
So beautiful that it makes people notice it
7
7.4
Pleasant to look at in a simple, natural way
7
9.2
Nice to look at, like a dress or house
5
7.8
Pleasant and charming in a simple, innocent way
3
8.0
Very pleasant and attractive in an informal, friendly way
2
9.9
Being sexually attractive
1
8.1
Looking bright and stylish and making people feel lively and cheerful
1
8.5
Attractive in a way that may seem sexual
1
7.1
Pleasant to look at
1
5.0
A face that looks healthy and rosy
Antonyms
How Attractive
623
2.0
∞
1.0
307
1.2
- UK
10
7.0
∞
1.0
653
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
bonny = bon + y
Although the surface form looks like bon + -y, the base 'bon' is a Scots/French borrowing (not a productive English headword), so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from the parts.
Etymology
Bonny comes from an old word bon meaning 'good', as in the French bon, and it became a Scottish way to say something is pleasant or pretty. So when you call someone bonny, you mean they are attractive, healthy, or lively.