boon
1 Americannoun
noun
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something extremely useful, helpful, or beneficial; a blessing or benefit
the car was a boon to him
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archaic a favour; request
he asked a boon of the king
adjective
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close, special, or intimate (in the phrase boon companion )
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archaic jolly or convivial
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of boon1
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English bon(e) “praying, a prayer, favor asked for,” from Old Norse bōn “prayer, request, petition”; cognate with Old English bēn
Origin of boon2
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English bon(e), boun “good, goodly,” from Old French, from Latin bonus “good, expert”
Origin of boon3
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (north) bun(n)e, bone “reed, stem, husk (of flax)”; compare Old English bune “reed; drinking cup”
Explanation
Boon means something beneficial to a specific person, entity, or cause. "Getting called out of school on the day of the test was a boon for Sam, as he hadn't remembered to study." Boon derives from the Old Norse bón, a request for a favor. Think of a boon as a favor that no one has necessarily asked for, something extra. "We'd just spent our last dollar on a cup of coffee so it was a real boon to find a ten dollar bill lying on the sidewalk." Boon can also be an adjective for someone friendly and welcoming, as in "a boon companion."
Vocabulary lists containing boon
100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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Mythology
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
All in all, 2026 continues to be a boon for Hollywood.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
The administration defends its dealmaking as an economic boon in the long term.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
In this real-estate market, one man’s bane can be another man’s boon.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
Wayne Gilmore, an optometrist who owns the local radio station that broadcasts high-school football games, doesn’t want to miss a potential economic boon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
He asked, he urged, he claimed the boon of a brand snatched from the burning.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
