Debonair
/ˌdɛb.əˈnɛər/noun
Suave, polished, and charming in appearance or manner.
Did you know?The word was borrowed from Old French de bon aire, where aire referred to ancestry or breeding—not the English word “air.”
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
bonus
“Good, favorable, or morally worthy”
Old French
Old French
de bon aire
“Of good lineage, character, or breeding”
13th Century
Anglo-Norman French
debonaire
“Well-bred, courteous, or gentle in manner”
14th Century
Middle English
debonaire
“Courteous, gracious, and refined”
17th Century
English
debonair
“Polished, elegant, and gentlemanly”
Modern English
English
debonair
“Suave, charming, and stylish”