bonspiel

American

[bon-speel] / ˈbɒnˌspil /

noun

a competition or meet in curling at which teams from several clubs or districts compete with one another.

bonspiel British

/ -spəl, ˈbɒnˌspiːl /

noun

a curling match

"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 bonspiel

1555–65; Scots dial., perhaps < Dutch or Low German; compare Dutch spel game, play ( Middle Dutch, cognate with Old High German spil, German Spiel ); identity of first element uncertain

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.

And we’re not at some bonspiel in Saskatchewan just trying things out.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

“I still can’t believe Shustie gave up the opportunity to defend our title in the bonspiel to curl in Beijing,” Cameron joked.

From Washington Post • Feb. 12, 2022

In curling, a "rink" is a team, a "tee" is a goal, a "skip" is a captain, a "bonspiel" is a meet.

From Time Magazine Archive

A bonspiel is a curling tournament between clubs.

From Time Magazine Archive

There are also, many first-rate players in Scarboro’ who are always ready to measure their strength, in numbers and skill, with those of Toronto, and both enjoy the certaminis gaudia in their annual bonspiel.

From The Canadian Curler's Manual by

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023