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bon ton

American  
[bon ton, bawn tawn] / ˈbɒn ˈtɒn, bɔ̃ ˈtɔ̃ /

noun

  1. good or elegant form or style.

  2. something regarded as fashionably correct.

    The bon ton in this circle is to dress well and know influential people.

  3. fashionable society.


bon ton British  
/ bɔ̃ tɔ̃ /

noun

  1. sophisticated manners or breeding

  2. fashionable society

"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

Etymology

Origin of bon ton

1765–75; < French: literally, good tone. See boon 2, tone

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.

See Examples For:

But then, the bon ton, not content with padding only bums, moved the bustle round to the tummy at the front.

From Slate Jul. 21, 2025

The book reports Lucius' ad ventures with "butlered bon ton."

From Time Magazine Archive

Bullock's Wilshire, tony Los Angeles department store, went after war-workers' dollars; Macy's, New York's people's store, waved farewell to the bon ton trade.

From Time Magazine Archive

This is being sur un assez bon ton for a player!

From Selected English Letters (XV - XIX Centuries) by Wragg, H.

Or, may be, in a frolic daft, To Hague or Calais takes a waft, To make a tour an' tak a whirl, To learn bon ton, an' see the worl'.

From Robert Burns by Shairp, John Campbell

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