bonsoir

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bɔ̃.swaʁ/^[1]
• IPA (France): [bõ.swaːʁ]^[1]
• IPA (Canada, standard): [bɔ̃.swɑːʁ]^[1]
• IPA (Quebec, informal): [bɒ̃ʊ̯̃.swɔːʁ]^[1]

Forms

bonsoir m (plural bonsoirs); also an interjection^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from French bon (“good”) + soir (“evening”).^{[2][3][4][5][1]} “Soir” is from Latin sērō (“late”), an adverb.^[5] An older greeting was “bon vêpre”, still used by Molière: Je donne le bon vêpre à l'honorable compagnie.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found at the end of the 15th century, in Olivier de la Marche.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

Popular uses include dire bonsoir à la compagnie “to die” and bonsoir ! “it's all over”, recorded by Littré.^[6] Bien le bonsoir is found in comedies of 1794 and 1798, and as a way of dismissing someone in Courteline (1886).^[7] Bonsoir de bonsoir ! is a mild oath, influenced by bon sang.^[3]

Timeline

• late 15th century – First recorded.^[3]
• 1794 – Bien le bonsoir.^[7]
• 1886 – Bien le bonsoir to dismiss someone, Courteline.^[7]

Meanings

Interjection

1. good evening, a greeting on meeting or leaving someone in the evening: bonsoir, Monsieur, bonsoir à tous.^[4][8]
2. Good night, before going to bed.^[3][4]
3. (familiar) It's over, that's the end of it: l'avancement, bonsoir !^[3][8]

Noun

1. The greeting “good evening”: souhaiter le bonsoir, dis bonsoir à papa, c'est bonjour bonsoir, a mere nodding acquaintance.^[4]

Related words

• soir
• bonjour
• bonne nuit
• soirée

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
4. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)