bounty
/ˈbaʊnti/
noun
Origin
Latin
bonitas — goodness
Overview
Meaning Now
- Generosity, especially in giving to others.
- A sum paid as a reward, especially for capturing a criminal or killing a pest.
- Something given in generous amounts, particularly natural resources or harvest.
Literal older meaning
Goodness
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
bonté
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term originally denoted the abstract quality of goodness or virtue. By the late 16th century, the sense evolved to include the 'fruits of the earth' or 'bountiful gifts', and subsequently, a 'reward' or 'premium' offered by an authority.
Evolution
- Latin
bonitas
“goodness”
- Old French
bonté
“goodness, kindness”
- Middle English
bounte
“goodness, generosity”
Connections
Word parts
boun-
root
good
-ty
suffix
state or quality
Related across languages
French
bonté
goodness
Italian
bontà
goodness
Explore next
Related to bounty
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.