debonair
or deb·o·naire, deb·on·naire
[ deb-uh-nair ]
/ ˌdɛb əˈnɛər /
adjective
courteous, gracious, and having a sophisticated charm: a debonair gentleman.
jaunty; carefree; sprightly.
Nearby words
debit, debit card, debit policy, debitage, debitor, debonair, debone, deborah, deboshed, deboss, debouch
Origin of debonair
1175–1225; Middle English debone(i)re < Anglo-French; Old French debonaire, orig. phrase de bon aire of good lineage
SYNONYMS FOR debonair
Related formsdeb·o·nair·ly, adverbdeb·o·nair·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for debonair
British Dictionary definitions for debonair
debonair
debonnaire
/ (ˌdɛbəˈnɛə) /
adjective (esp of a man or his manner)
suave and refined
carefree; light-hearted
courteous and cheerful; affable
Derived Formsdebonairly, adverbdebonairness, noun
Word Origin for debonair
C13: from Old French debonaire, from de bon aire having a good disposition
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for debonair
debonair
c.1200, "mild, gentle, kind courteous," from Old French debonaire, from de bon' aire "of good race," originally used of hawks, hence, "thoroughbred" (opposite of French demalaire). Used in Middle English to mean "docile, courteous," it became obsolete and was revived with an altered sense of "pleasant, affable" (1680s).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper