bonanza

[buh-nan-zuh, boh-]

noun

1. a rich mass of ore, as found in mining.

2. a source of great and sudden wealth or luck; a spectacular windfall.

   The play proved to be a bonanza for its lucky backers.

bonanza

/ bəˈnænzə /

noun

1. a source, usually sudden and unexpected, of luck or wealth

2. a mine or vein rich in ore

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonanza¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1835–45; from Spanish: “calm sea, prosperity, abundance of minerals,” nasalized variant of Medieval Latin bonacia, alteration (with influence from Latin bonus “good,” possibly to avoid confusion with malus “bad”) of Latin malacia “calm sea,” from Greek malakía “softness” ( malak(ós) “soft” + -ia -ia )

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonanza¹

C19: from Spanish, literally: calm sea, hence, good luck, from Medieval Latin bonacia , from Latin bonus good + malacia dead calm, from Greek malakia softness

Example Sentences

The location is near a bonanza of sports enterprises that have sprung up in recent years, including a Topgolf entertainment complex and the training facility and headquarters of the Los Angeles Chargers football team.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Many in the industry are practically salivating at the prospect of the advertising bonanza a visit from Kelce could entail—especially if Swift were to tag along.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What is remarkable is that these multi-team weekend bonanzas are hardly a coincidence anymore.

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Her spring trip goes heavy on wild greens, with a good dose of truffle hunting, while the fall is a bonanza of shaggy parasol mushrooms and mountain villages.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Even with the best intentions and oversight from headquarters, this will be a bonanza for Hamas’s well-oiled media operation, which has controlled virtually every word written or broadcast in Gaza since 2007.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cash cow 
• treasure trove