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benedict

1 American  
[ben-i-dikt] / ˈbɛn ɪ dɪkt /

noun

  1. a newly married man, especially one who has been long a bachelor.

    From the sublime to the ridiculous—the bride in her most seductive lingerie and the benedict in a pair of ratty old boxers.
Benedict 2 American  
[ben-i-dikt] / ˈbɛn ɪ dɪkt /

noun

  1. Ruth (Fulton), 1887–1948, U.S. writer and anthropologist.

  2. Saint, a.d. 480–c543, Italian monk: founded Benedictine order.

  3. Stanley Rossiter 1884–1936, U.S. biochemist.

  4. a first name: from a Latin word meaning “blessed.”

Benedict British  
/ ˈbɛnɪˌdɪkt /

noun

  1. Saint . ?480–?547 ad , Italian monk: founded the Benedictine order at Monte Cassino in Italy in about 540 ad . His Regula Monachorum became the basis of the rule of all Western Christian monastic orders. Feast day: July 11 or March 14

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of benedict

First recorded in 1820–25; erroneous assimilation of Benedick to a more familiar name

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The benedict wasn’t my personal favorite, but it’s a playful, memorable twist I know many will love.

From Salon • Sep. 29, 2025

Its monumental crab cake benedict is a good way to get one last crab fix.

From Washington Post • Jun. 3, 2021

What generally stops people making eggs benedict at home is the hollandaise sauce, which is fiddly and prone to splitting and curdling.

From The Guardian • May 6, 2020

The neighborhood restaurant serves steak benedict, croissant sandwiches and shakshuka for breakfast, with lunch due in about a month and evenings reserved for classes.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2019

And except for a song about bacon or eggs benedict thrown in here and there, they mostly played normal country music.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.