bon mot

[ bon moh; French bawn moh ]

noun

, plural bons mots [bon, , mohz, baw, n, , moh].

1. a witty remark or comment; clever saying; witticism.

bon mot

/ bɔ̃ mo /

noun

1. a clever and fitting remark

Word History and Origins

Origin of bon mot¹

1725–35; < French: literally, good word; boon ², motto

Word History and Origins

Origin of bon mot¹

French, literally: good word

Example Sentences

If you’re looking for the literary scene in New York, you may want to drop in at Elaine’s, a shadowy but cheery East Side bar where authors meet for Beaujolais and bon mots.

From Los Angeles Times

Grant plays Sinclair with tremendous brio, capturing his pompousness and authority as with some bon mots about good writers "stealing" work.

From Salon

The character never has to search long for a bon mot.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr. Pompeo said his CIA team had not prepared him for a greeting joke about assassination, but as the CIA chief, “maybe his bon mot made sense.”

From Washington Times

There were definitely bright spots — Coolidge rocking taffetta, Hollander dropping insinuating bon mots, Plaza aggressively eating toast and Fahy offering marital advice.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assertion
• attention
• commentary
• conclusion
• explanation
• note
• opinion
• saying
• statement
• talk
• thought
• word