bonfire

[ bon-fahyuhr ]

/ ˈbɒnˌfaɪər /

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See synonyms for bonfire on Thesaurus.com

noun

a large fire built in the open air, for warmth, entertainment, or celebration, to burn leaves, garbage, etc., or as a signal.

any fire built in the open.

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Origin of bonfire

1375–1425; late Middle English bone fire, i.e., a fire with bones for fuel

Words nearby bonfire

bone to pick, bone to pick, have a, bone turquoise, bone up, boneyard, bonfire, bong, bongo, bon gré, mal gré, bonham, Bonheur

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use bonfire in a sentence

It’s been 15 years since police fatally shot Ray-Ray, and his parents, older sister and younger brother are achingly reminded of his loss as the anniversary of the tragedy is just days away—and coincides with their annual family bonfire.
Here Are the 14 New Books You Should Read in February|Annabel Gutterman|February 2, 2021|Time
While British officers dined on the food and drink of President James Madison in the executive mansion, soldiers set bonfires in government buildings throughout the city, including the Capitol building.
The similarities to the last invasion of the Capitol matter — so do the differences|Lawrence Hatter|January 11, 2021|Washington Post
We drink a little wine or hot cider with friends around a backyard bonfire, shivering, glad to be alive and together.
One Good Thing: The future is uncertain. This graphic novel gave me hope anyway.|Alissa Wilkinson|January 1, 2021|Vox
After all, it might be fine for one of us to drive into the desert, gather all the downed ancient juniper, and make a roaring bonfire.
Who's Really to Blame for the Monolith Shitshow|Mark Sundeen|December 4, 2020|Outside Online

The good news is they’ll reheat beautifully if you wrap them in foil and place them next to your bonfire a few hours before dinnertime, says Dan Souza, editor in chief at Cook’s Illustrated.
Your Guide to Throwing an Outdoor Thanksgiving|AC Shilton|November 17, 2020|Outside Online
Marc Wortman is the author, among other books, of The Bonfire: The Siege and Burning of Atlanta.
Atlanta’s Fall Foretold The End Of Civil War Bloodshed|Marc Wortman|September 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In one corner, a pile of Apple iPads and Google glasses are torched in a bonfire.
Pope Francis Declares Consumers and Capitalists Need to Help the Poor|Daniel Gross|November 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Everyone wanted to know the outcome of in this tropical version of Bonfire of the Vanities.
The Brutal Fall of Brazilian Billionaire Eike Batista|Mac Margolis|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Some have said that about my book, The Bonfire, about Atlanta in the Civil War.
25 Years of ‘Battle Cry of Freedom’: An Interview With James M. McPherson|Marc Wortman|June 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But Bonfire of the Vanities this is not, and that is unfortunate, though the cultural references might be spot on.
This Week’s Hot Reads: May 28, 2013|Jen Vafidis|May 28, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Patrick had brought an axe and, with the help of some of the boys, soon had a big bonfire burning on the edge of the pond.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
We feel just a little hurt that the police have not prohibited our village bonfire.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, November 4, 1914|Various
A jolly bonfire they made, too, and as the flames went up the people cheered lustily.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes|Various
Upon the summit of the great keep a huge bonfire had sprung up, and the tall flames leaped toward the inky heavens.
God Wills It!|William Stearns Davis
They will make a bonfire of the houses of those bourgeois and artisans fit to roast Beelzebub!
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman|Eugne Sue

British Dictionary definitions for bonfire

bonfire

/ (ˈbɒnˌfaɪə) /

noun

a large outdoor fire

Word Origin for bonfire

C15: alteration (through influence of French bon good) of bone-fire; from the use of bones as fuel

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

bonfire

Origin of bonfire

Words nearby bonfire

Words related to bonfire

How to use bonfire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for bonfire

Word Origin for bonfire