bonus

[ boh-nuhs ]

noun

, plural bo·nus·es.

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

/ 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. See bribe
   a slang word for a bribe

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonus¹

1765–75; < Latin: good

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonus¹

C18: from Latin bonus (adj) good

Synonym Study

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. present ².

Example Sentences

And as a bonus, they send home more than $20 billion in remittances each year.

From The Daily Beast

A recent U.S. study found men get a “daddy bonus” —employers seem to like men who have children and their salaries show it.

From The Daily Beast

When they steal things, they want to get all the bonus points.

From The Daily Beast

Prosecutors say the two then promised that employee a $10,000 bonus, which was promptly paid.

From The Daily Beast

And bonus points for the school bus that burst into flames with the comic timing of a Simpsons gag.

From The Daily Beast

Moreover, when we come to pay off, the crew will receive a bonus, in consideration of the long and perilous voyage.

From Project Gutenberg

Hale bought all of old Judd's land, formed a stock company and in the trade gave June a bonus of the stock.

From Project Gutenberg

Hollister's crew, working on a bonus for work performed, kept the bolts of cedar gliding down the chute.

From Project Gutenberg

Nor was Jimmy at all displeased when he found at the end of the week that he had been given a nice bonus for his work.

From Project Gutenberg

Agents were appointed in each likely State, with sub-agents who were paid a bonus on every actual settler.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• benefit
• bounty
• dividend
• gift
• gratuity
• perk
• premium
• prize
• reward