adjective
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suave and refined
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carefree; light-hearted
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courteous and cheerful; affable
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of debonair
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English debone(i)re, from Anglo-French; Old French debonaire; the original phrase was de bon aire “of good lineage”
Explanation
Someone debonair is charming or suave. They have good manners, and they probably look good, too. This French word has a fancy feel to it, and it is a fancy kind of word. Being debonair is a specific form of being charming that applies mostly to men. When you're debonair, you impress women, other men, and pretty much everyone with your manners, wit, and style. Debonair is a little bit of an old-fashioned word. Old movie stars like Cary Grant were often called debonair, but not many people are today.
Vocabulary lists containing debonair
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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.
Debonair friends in London recoiled in horror when told of his pastime.
From The Guardian • Nov. 14, 2018
Debonair and well-spoken, Thae Yong Ho has over ten years experience working on UK and EU-related issues as a diplomat.
From Reuters • Aug. 17, 2016
A version of this review appears in print on January 30, 2014, on page C4 of the with the headline: Wry Hybrid Of Debonair And Tetchy.
From New York Times • Jan. 29, 2014
Debonair maitre d' Jon Sheard reminisced about wines of the Carneros region while pulling the cork on an Acacia pinot noir.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 24, 2010
This ancient building, doubtless of simple Roman proportions, was rebuilt in the reign of Louis the Debonair in 822, when Ebon was archbishop.
From Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 3 France and the Netherlands, Part 1 by Halsey, Francis W. (Francis Whiting)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
