Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

bonus

American  
[boh-nuhs] / ˈboʊ nəs /

noun

PLURAL

bonuses
  1. something given or paid over and above what is due.

    Synonyms:
    gift , honorarium , reward
  2. a sum of money granted or given to an employee, a returned soldier, etc., in addition to regular pay, usually in appreciation for work done, length of service, accumulated favors, etc.

  3. something free, as an extra dividend, given by a corporation to a purchaser of its securities.

  4. a premium paid for a loan, contract, etc.

  5. something extra or additional given freely.

    Every purchaser of a pound of coffee received a box of cookies as a bonus.


bonus British  
/ ˈbəʊnəs /

noun

  1. something given, paid, or received above what is due or expected

    a Christmas bonus for all employees

  2. an extra dividend allotted to shareholders out of profits

  3. insurance a dividend, esp a percentage of net profits, distributed to policyholders either annually or when the policy matures

  4. a slang word for a bribe

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Bonus, bounty, premium refer to something extra beyond a stipulated payment. A bonus is a gift to reward performance, paid either by a private employer or by a government: a bonus based on salary; a soldiers' bonus. A bounty is a public aid or reward offered to stimulate interest in a specific purpose or undertaking and to encourage performance: a bounty for killing wolves. A premium is usually something additional given as an inducement to buy, produce, or the like: a premium received with a magazine subscription. See also present 2.

Etymology

Origin of bonus

1765–75; < Latin: good

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.

There are seven levels of questions that increase in difficulty, along with some bonus questions.

From BBC

The bonus was that it gave the team’s front office flexibility to spend big elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal

And while the armed forces provide guaranteed pensions after 20 years and unmatched job security, they don’t offer bulky salaries or six-figure year-end bonuses.

From The Wall Street Journal

Unemployed WWI veterans marched on Washington in 1932 to demand bonuses, only to have their encampments dispersed with tanks and tear gas.

From The Wall Street Journal

They are enjoying the trappings including perks, bonuses and, in many cases, pay boosts.

From The Wall Street Journal