debonair

adjective

deb·o·nair ˌde-bə-ˈner How to pronounce debonair (audio)

: suave, urbane

a debonair performer

: lighthearted, nonchalant

archaic : gentle, courteous

debonairly adverb

debonairness noun

Did you know?

In Anglo-French, someone who was genteel and well-brought-up was described as deboneire—literally "of good family or nature" (from the three-word phrase de bon aire). When the word was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it basically meant "courteous," a narrow sense now pretty much obsolete. Today's debonair incorporates charm, polish, and worldliness, often combined with a carefree attitude (think James Bond). And yes, we tend to use this sense mostly, though not exclusively, of men. The "carefree" characteristic of a debonair person influenced the modern "lighthearted, nonchalant" sense of the word, as illustrated by film critic Owen Gleiberman: "It wouldn't be wrong to call Ocean's Eleven a trifle, but it's a debonair trifle made with high-wire effrontery, the kind that can't be faked. This giddy and glancing charade is one of the most sheerly pleasurable movies to come out this year…."

Example Sentences

Their history, past and recent, may be scribbled with viciousness and deprivation, but the debonair politeness, the good humor, of the Irish I met, who are still among the poorest people in the West, gave me to believe that calamity breeds character.

G. Y. Dryansky, Condé Nast Traveler, November 1994 Cary Grant is the center of the action and, at this pivotal point in his career, he is suspended between the heroic and the debonair.

Andrew Sarris, Video Review, September 1990 Wyndham Lewis arrived for a stay in Paris and he was a different man from the Lewis of London. He was free and easy and debonair.

Robert McAlmon et al., Being Geniuses Together, (1938) 1968 a debonair man in a suit and top hat his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong

Recent Examples on the Web Amongst the most stunning and debonair guests, a few of our favorite looks so far were served by actress Jodie Turner-Smith.

Greg Emmanuel, Essence, 1 Sep. 2022 Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall play Lily and Gaston, master thieves on a debonair rampage through high society.

Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Its communist agents are charming and almost debonair, contrary to previous depictions of screaming, hard-faced Soviet soldiers.

Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck, is reclusive and antisocial, not a courtly debonair.

Roy Schwartz, CNN, 2 Apr. 2022 Nascar was America’s motorsport of choice; Formula 1 was the debonair European stepsibling whose competitions were held in places such as Azerbaijan and Monaco, and whose races were referred to as Grands Prix.

Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2022 On the top floor, Beaujard’s bedroom and the guest room feel breezy and debonair, in pale shades of white and yellow with accents of ebony and chocolate, evoking both the formal side of late 19th-century French design and fanciful postwar modernism.

New York Times, 10 Nov. 2021 The video stars the London rapper as an impossibly debonair butler who seduces his boss before things take a rather ugly turn (with J Balvin popping up in the most unexpected of places).

Charu Sinha, Vulture, 30 July 2021 Whether selling wine or simply drinking it, Mr. Spurrier was a debonair figure, hair perfectly coifed, a handkerchief peeking out just so from his jacket pocket.

Eric Asimov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2021 See More

单词	debonair
释义	debonair adjective deb·o·nair ˌde-bə-ˈner 1 a : suave, urbane a debonair performer b : lighthearted, nonchalant 2 archaic : gentle, courteous debonairly adverb debonairness noun Did you know? In Anglo-French, someone who was genteel and well-brought-up was described as deboneire—literally "of good family or nature" (from the three-word phrase de bon aire). When the word was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it basically meant "courteous," a narrow sense now pretty much obsolete. Today's debonair incorporates charm, polish, and worldliness, often combined with a carefree attitude (think James Bond). And yes, we tend to use this sense mostly, though not exclusively, of men. The "carefree" characteristic of a debonair person influenced the modern "lighthearted, nonchalant" sense of the word, as illustrated by film critic Owen Gleiberman: "It wouldn't be wrong to call Ocean's Eleven a trifle, but it's a debonair trifle made with high-wire effrontery, the kind that can't be faked. This giddy and glancing charade is one of the most sheerly pleasurable movies to come out this year…." Synonyms blithe carefree devil-may-care gay happy-go-lucky insouciant lighthearted lightsome slaphappy unconcerned See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Their history, past and recent, may be scribbled with viciousness and deprivation, but the debonair politeness, the good humor, of the Irish I met, who are still among the poorest people in the West, gave me to believe that calamity breeds character. G. Y. Dryansky, Condé Nast Traveler, November 1994 Cary Grant is the center of the action and, at this pivotal point in his career, he is suspended between the heroic and the debonair. Andrew Sarris, Video Review, September 1990 Wyndham Lewis arrived for a stay in Paris and he was a different man from the Lewis of London. He was free and easy and debonair. Robert McAlmon et al., Being Geniuses Together, (1938) 1968 a debonair man in a suit and top hat his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong Recent Examples on the Web Amongst the most stunning and debonair guests, a few of our favorite looks so far were served by actress Jodie Turner-Smith. Greg Emmanuel, Essence, 1 Sep. 2022 Miriam Hopkins and Herbert Marshall play Lily and Gaston, master thieves on a debonair rampage through high society. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2022 Its communist agents are charming and almost debonair, contrary to previous depictions of screaming, hard-faced Soviet soldiers. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 Count Orlok, played by Max Schreck, is reclusive and antisocial, not a courtly debonair. Roy Schwartz, CNN, 2 Apr. 2022 Nascar was America’s motorsport of choice; Formula 1 was the debonair European stepsibling whose competitions were held in places such as Azerbaijan and Monaco, and whose races were referred to as Grands Prix. Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2022 On the top floor, Beaujard’s bedroom and the guest room feel breezy and debonair, in pale shades of white and yellow with accents of ebony and chocolate, evoking both the formal side of late 19th-century French design and fanciful postwar modernism. New York Times, 10 Nov. 2021 The video stars the London rapper as an impossibly debonair butler who seduces his boss before things take a rather ugly turn (with J Balvin popping up in the most unexpected of places). Charu Sinha, Vulture, 30 July 2021 Whether selling wine or simply drinking it, Mr. Spurrier was a debonair figure, hair perfectly coifed, a handkerchief peeking out just so from his jacket pocket. Eric Asimov, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2021 See More Word History Etymology Middle English debonere, from Anglo-French deboneire, from de bon aire of good family or nature First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Kids Definition debonair adjective deb·o·nair ˌde-bə-ˈner : gracefully charming The debonair gentleman charmed everyone. debonair adjective 1 as in nonchalant having or showing freedom from worries or troubles his debonair dismissal of my inquiry concerning his financial situation led me to believe that nothing was wrong Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance nonchalant insouciant carefree cavalier lighthearted relaxed blithe devil-may-care casual unconcerned gay slaphappy lightsome happy-go-lucky blasé breezy blase easygoing informal unfussy laid-back low-pressure Antonyms & Near Antonyms careworn serious sombre earnest somber cautious careful wary grave serious-minded anxious heedful concerned upset worried sorrowful overburdened long-suffering See More 2 as in sophisticated having or showing very polished and worldly manners the debonair gentleman charmed all of the ladies in the room Synonyms & Similar Words sophisticated suave graceful urbane civilized gracious smooth polished svelte attractive experienced cavalier cosmopolitan slick serene cultured confident cultivated glib practiced smart appealing metropolitan unctuous amiable genteel composed poised seasoned knowing well-bred placid couth refined calm worldly-wise schooled collected unperturbed metro assured tranquil secure self-assured self-possessed undisturbed self-confident cool practised Antonyms & Near Antonyms clownish boorish uncouth loutish classless gauche churlish clumsy wooden stiff graceless awkward green uneasy uncomfortable ungraceful stilted rustic inexperienced puerile callow parochial provincial raw unworldly unsophisticated uncivilized uncultured rustical gawky stodgy inelegant unrefined philistine diffident ungainly lubberly insecure rough-hewn hick See More
随便看	prestidigitator prestidigitators prestige prestigeful prestiger prestiges prestigest prestigiation prestigiator prestigiators prestigious prestigiously prestigiousness prestigiousnesses prestissimo prestissimos presto presto chango prestoer prestoest prestoma prestomal prestomum prestomums Preston

debonair

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective