bonfire
[ bon-fahyuh r ]
/ ˈbɒnˌfaɪər /
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for bonfire
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
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Word Origin and History for bonfire
bonfire
1550s, from Middle English banefire (late 15c.), originally a fire in which bones were burned. See bone (n.) + fire (n.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper