bong

¹ American  

[bong, bawng] / bɒŋ, bɔŋ /

noun

1. a dull, resonant sound, as of a large bell.

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verb (used without object)

1. to produce this sound.

   The church bell bonged promptly at noon.

bong ² American  

[bong, bawng] / bɒŋ, bɔŋ /

noun

1. a water pipe for smoking marijuana or other drugs. Similar in function to a hookah, a bong has a heated bowl, water reservoir, and a tube with a mouthpiece.

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bong ¹ British  

/ bɒŋ /

noun

1. a deep reverberating sound, as of a large bell

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verb

1. to make a deep reverberating sound

bong ² British  

/ bɒŋ /

noun

1. a type of water pipe for smoking marijuana, crack, etc

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Etymology

Origin of bong¹

First recorded in 1855–60; imitative

Origin of bong²

First recorded in 1970–75; from Thai bong, baung “bamboo tube”

Example Sentences

"Simply a masterpiece," is how Bong Jun-ho, director of the globally acclaimed film Parasite and the first Korean to win an Oscar, described it.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2026

As AI creeps further into Hollywood, screenwriters like Billy Ray, Paul Schrader, Bong Joon Ho and Todd Haynes, along with a new class of tech disruptors, are navigating the uncertain future of storytelling.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2025

Then in March, Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho’s sci-fi thriller “Mickey 17” struggled at the box office.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2025

Bong enjoys reminding us that unsympathetic characters often make the most compelling leads.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2025

The only world I know beyond this camp is the one Met Bong describes to me.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung