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bounty

Etymology and origin of the English word bounty

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Formation
Inherited
Inherited from
Middle English bounte

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈbaʊnti/ (UK); /ˈbaʊn(t)i/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English bounte (“goodness”),[2][3][4] from Anglo-Norman bunté and Old French bonte (“goodness”),[2][4][5][3] from Latin bonitās (“goodness”),[2][4][5][3] from Latin bonus (“good”).[2][4][5][3] The ending is the same as in English -ty.[5][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

A gift or favour freely given (late 13th century),[5][4] and goodness or virtue (about 1300).[5][6]

Semantic evolution

The Middle English word covered goodness, valour and generosity of every kind,[5][6] but most of those senses are obsolete.[6] The sense of a gift from a sovereign or the state[5][6] led to a payment to military recruits (1702),[5][6] a reward for capturing or killing a criminal or enemy (1764),[5] and one for killing dangerous animals (1847).[5] Bounty hunter dates from 1893, first of wild animals.[5]

Timeline

  • about 1250 – a thing generously bestowed.[6]
  • before 1300 – goodness or virtue, now obsolete.[6][5]
  • 1508 – bountiful.[4]
  • 1702 – a payment to recruits.[6][5]
  • 1764 – a reward for capturing or killing an enemy or criminal.[5]
  • 1864 – bounty-jumper.[5]
  • 1893 – bounty hunter.[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Generosity in giving; liberality.
  2. Something given generously; a gift.
  3. A reward or payment, especially from a government, as for capturing an outlaw, killing harmful animals or enlisting in the army.
  4. A plentiful yield, especially of a crop.

Word family

  • bountiful
  • bounty hunter
  • boon
  • bounteous
  • bonus

Usage notes

Random House refers to bonus for a synonym discussion and gives present, benefaction, munificence, liberality, charity and beneficence as synonyms.[7]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Bounty.” Etymologically, 13 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/bounty. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·