Bon Mot
/ˌbɒn ˈməʊ/noun
A clever, witty, or memorable remark.
Did you know?In English literary culture, a bon mot traditionally meant more than a joke: it was a polished verbal flash valued almost like a miniature work of art.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deu̯- / *dwen-
“A reconstructed root associated with goodness or benefit, underlying several Latin words for “good.””
Classical Latin
Latin
bonus
“Good, morally worthy, or beneficial.”
Classical Latin
Latin
motus
“Movement or motion; the later French noun mot developed from Latin muttum, a sound or word.”
17th Century
French
bon mot
“Literally “good word”; a witty or pointed saying.”
18th Century
English
bon mot
“A borrowed term for a clever, polished remark.”
Modern English
English
bon mot
“A witty, memorable, or epigrammatic comment.”