bonus

American  

[boh-nuhs] / ˈboʊ nəs /

noun

bonuses plural

1. something given or paid over and above what is due.

   Synonyms:

   gift, honorarium, reward

2. a sum of money granted or given to an employee, a returned soldier, etc., in addition to regular pay, usually in appreciation for work done, length of service, accumulated favors, etc.

3. something free, as an extra dividend, given by a corporation to a purchaser of its securities.

4. a premium paid for a loan, contract, etc.

5. something extra or additional given freely.

   Every purchaser of a pound of coffee received a box of cookies as a bonus.

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bonus British  

/ ˈbəʊnəs /

noun

1. something given, paid, or received above what is due or expected

   a Christmas bonus for all employees

2. an extra dividend allotted to shareholders out of profits

3. insurance a dividend, esp a percentage of net profits, distributed to policyholders either annually or when the policy matures

4. a slang word for a bribe

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Synonym Usage

Bonus, bounty, premium refer to something extra beyond a stipulated payment. A bonus is a gift to reward performance, paid either by a private employer or by a government: a bonus based on salary; a soldiers' bonus. A bounty is a public aid or reward offered to stimulate interest in a specific purpose or undertaking and to encourage performance: a bounty for killing wolves. A premium is usually something additional given as an inducement to buy, produce, or the like: a premium received with a magazine subscription. See also present ².

Etymology

Origin of bonus

1765–75; < Latin: good

Explanation

A bonus is something extra, a benefit beyond what is expected. If you get a bonus at work, it could be extra money or another type of reward for a job well done. A bonus is usually extra financial compensation that is above and beyond an employee's normal base salary or hourly wage. Some other types of employee bonuses are stock options, gift cards, or extra paid time off. But a bonus doesn't have to be related to work. It can be any extra benefit — like a rebate from an insurance company for making no claims in a year. Or it can be something as simple as a warm smile from your favorite teacher as she returns your essay with an A+ on the top.

Example Sentences

However, the Scot's expertise from the penalty spot should be a bonus given the exiting Tavernier has been prolific in that respect, as well as being a candidate to replace the Englishman as captain.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

You’re the one who wants a trip to a fancy resort out of this deal, not the adviser getting bonus prizes for signing a new deal.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

The judge agreed—but because she wasn’t returning to her home country, she didn’t receive the $2,600 CBP Home exit bonus.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

The tentative deal introduces a new bonus pool for employees in the chip division, equivalent to 10.5 percent of the division's business performance, with no payout cap.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

I’d think of it as a favor for Audrey and a bonus for me.

From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence

Related Words

• benefit
• bounty
• dividend
• gift
• gratuity
• perk
• premium
• prize
• reward