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• bonny
  bonny

  adjective

  pleasing to the eye; handsome; pretty.
• Bonny
  Bonny

  noun

  a wide bay at the E end of the Gulf of Guinea off the coasts of Nigeria and Cameroon

bonny

American  

[bon-ee] / ˈbɒn i /

Or bonnie

adjective

bonnier, bonniest

1. Chiefly Scot. pleasing to the eye; handsome; pretty.

2. British Dialect.

   1. (of people) healthy, sweet, and lively.

   2. (of places) placid; tranquil.

   3. pleasing; agreeable; good.

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adverb

1. British Dialect. pleasingly; agreeably; very well.

noun

1. Scot. and North England Archaic. a pretty girl or young woman.

bonny ¹ British  

/ ˈbɒnɪ /

adjective

1. dialect beautiful or handsome

   a bonny lass

2. merry or lively

   a bonny family

3. good or fine

   a bonny house

4. (esp of babies) plump

5. dialect considerable; to be reckoned with

   cost a bonny penny

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adverb

1. informal agreeably or well

   to speak bonny

Bonny ² British  

/ ˈbɒnɪ /

noun

1. Former name (until 1975): Bight of Biafra.  a wide bay at the E end of the Gulf of Guinea off the coasts of Nigeria and Cameroon

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Other Word Forms

• bonniness
  noun
• bonnily
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of bonny

1425–75; late Middle English ( Scots ) bonie, perhaps < Old French bon good + -ie -y ¹, perhaps by analogy with jolie jolly

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bonny Bonny bonnier bonniest

And Coach Kliff Kingsbury, the bonny prince plucked from Texas Tech in 2019, was scheduled to receive his comeuppance by now.

From New York Times ● Oct. 6, 2021

The TV star wrote on Instagram he had had a "bit of a prang" but insisted things were "all nice and bonny".

From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2020

Tara Erraught is a bonny Irish lass who is almost aggressively likable.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 10, 2018

Basically, Claire pulls the 18th century equivalent of a #yesallwomen campaign, and celebrates her victory by standing on a buttress and smiling vacantly at some wee bonny children.

From Time ● Aug. 16, 2014

Still, it was a June day to be blithe and bonny in.

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

In light of the administration’s security strategy, the sale shows “its actions are aligning with its words,” said Bonny Lin, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025

Inter coach Cristian Chivu started with Lautaro Martinez and Ange-Yoan Bonny up front, benching Marcus Thuram after Sunday's disappointing derby defeat by AC Milan.

From Barron's ● Nov. 26, 2025

Lee Calvert stands in the living room of her daughter’s home in Bonny Doon, Calif., in May 27.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2025

Calvert walks with her daughter, Nancy Lingemann, on Lingemann’s property in Bonny Doon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2025

A band began playing “That Bonny Blue Flag,” in Lee’s honor.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

While some of his ban mots may have grown bonnier in telling, and others may be wholly apocryphal, who can say for sure?

From Time Magazine Archive

“Not a bit, and you never will. You’ve grown bigger and bonnier, but you are the same scapegrace as ever.”

From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott

But cheer up, my dear! ye’re bonnier than what he said.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 11 (of 25) by Robert Louis Stevenson

Mines is no to be mentioned wi’ it, and there’s few weemen has mair hair than what I have, or yet a bonnier colour.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. XIX (of 25) The Ebb-Tide; Weir of Hermiston by Robert Louis Stevenson

And a poor man ye'd be if ye didn't, for a bonnier lass never came out of Canada, and that's saying somethin'.

From The Homesteaders A Novel of the Canadian West by Robert J. C. Stead

The prams of Britain are filled with the bonniest babies in living memory.

From Time Magazine Archive

So he suggested a cat instead, “the bonniest little cat ye ever did see.”

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

Out bespak the Earl of Hume, And O but he spak wondrous sorry,—30 "The bonniest lass about a' Glasgow toun, This day is awa wi' a hieland laddie."

From English and Scottish Ballads, Volume IV by Various

Tidy and prim in her apron and gown, Brightest of eyes, of the bonniest brown; Tiniest fingers, and needle so fleet, Pattern of womanhood, down at my feet!

From Happy Days for Boys and Girls by Various

“I’m no meaning,” Nanny continued hurriedly, fearing to offend her benefactress, “but what you’re the bonniest tid I ever saw out o’ an almanack.

From The Little Minister by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie