boon

1 of 2

noun

1
: a timely benefit : blessing
a boon to new homeowners
The rain was a boon for parched crops.
2
: benefit, favor
especially : one that is given in answer to a request
would not grant his boon

boon

2 of 2

adjective

1
: convivial
a boon companion
2
archaic : favorable

Examples of boon in a Sentence

Noun the couple's generous donation was a great boon to the charity's fund-raising campaign a softhearted man who finds it hard to deny any boon, whether it be for friend or stranger Adjective I and my boon companions celebrated that afternoon's victory on the gridiron with a night at a local dance club.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Despite the boon, the company revenue has fallen in recent years, and with inflation now rising, customers are holding off on purchasing non-essential goods. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024 Tucson’s geography is a boon for residents’ biological timekeeping. TIME, 9 Mar. 2024 Weight-loss shots have been a boon for drugmakers Eli Lilly & Co. and Novo Nordisk A/S, but food brands are fretting about the prospect of a less hungry customer base. Madison Muller, Fortune, 21 Feb. 2024 The addition of third base coach Matt Williams, a four-time Gold Glove winner, could be a boon for Schmitt. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2024 Business groups, including the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, have said the freeway expansion would be a boon for the state's economy. Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 But where low- to mid-budget films proved costly for the company, Annapurna’s gaming counterparts have been a boon. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 The arrival of Tropical Storm Hilary was a boon for birders, bringing in some species rarely or never seen here. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 And bringing in both Chapman and Staley – even if for just one year — will be a boon for both Bay teams. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bone prayer, request, the favor requested, from Old Norse bōn request; akin to Old English bēn prayer, bannan to summon — more at ban entry 1

Adjective

Middle English bon, from Anglo-French, good — more at bounty

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of boon was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near boon

Cite this Entry

“Boon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boon. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

boon

1 of 2 noun
1
: something asked or granted as a favor
2
: something pleasant or helpful that comes at just the right time : blessing

boon

2 of 2 adjective
: merry sense 1
a boon companion
Etymology

Noun

Middle English boon "favor," from an early Norse word meaning "a request, plea"

Adjective

Middle English boon, bon "favorable," from early French bon "good," derived from Latin bonus "good" — related to bonus

More from Merriam-Webster on boon

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