| bonanza \beh-NAEN-zeh\ (noun) - 1 : An unexpectedly rich pocket of ore in a mine, a mother lode; 2 : an unexpectedly great supply of anything, as to find a beach with a bonanza of sea shells.
"In their window I spotted a small quartz specimen containing visible gold -- a sure sign of bonanza quality. On impulse, I bought it for a couple of dollars." -- Ray McCoy, 'Mickey: Neurosis Can be a Good Thing After All'
Today's word is Spanish bonanza "fair weather, prosperity, success" unadulterated. It comes from Medieval Latin bonacia "calm sea," based on Latin bonus "good." The Latin word "bonacia" was probably influenced by malacia "a calm sea," a word borrowed from Greek malakia, the noun from malakos "soft." "Bonus" went on to give us "boon," "bounty," "bonbon," and "debonair." It comes from a Proto-Indo-European root *dwo-n-/dwe-n- "to do, perform properly," which also appears in Latin as bene "well," which we find in "benefit," "beneficial," and "benevolent." |
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