bounty

noun

boun·​ty ˈbau̇n-tē 

plural bounties

1

: something that is given generously

nature's bounty

2

: liberality in giving : generosity

3

: yield especially of a crop

this summer's bounty of tomatoes

4

: a reward, premium, or subsidy especially when offered or given by a government: such as

a

: an extra allowance to induce entry into the armed services

b

: a grant to encourage an industry

c

: a payment to encourage the destruction of noxious animals

a bounty on coyotes

d

: a payment for the capture of or assistance in the capture of an outlaw

had a bounty of $500 on his head

Synonyms

• reward
• price
• bonus

Examples of bounty in a Sentence

summer's bounty of plump tomatoes

The cottage is filled with a bounty of fresh flowers.

Recent Examples on the Web

The bounties ranged from $5,000 for an agent or officer to $50,000 for a high-ranking official, with intermediate amounts for commanding roles, according to the DHS disclosure obtained by the Washington Examiner. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025

Once upon a time, the Pelicans had a bounty of draft picks from the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades and a possible generational building block in Williamson. —John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

This defense is misleading, as such testing requires explicit permission from the organization being targeted or participation in an official bug bounty program. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2025

For the real monomaniacs, this album has unleashed a bounty of dissection opportunities. —Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bounte goodness, from Anglo-French bunté, bountee, from Latin bonitat-, bonitas, from bonus good, from Old Latin duenos; akin to Sanskrit duva reverence, favor

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bounty

• bounty hunter

Rhymes for bounty

• county

Kids Definition

bounty

noun

boun·​ty ˈbau̇nt-ē 

plural bounties

1

a

: generosity sense 1

b

: something given generously

2

: money given as a reward (as for killing a harmful animal or capturing a criminal)

Etymology

Middle English bounte "goodness," from early French bunté (same meaning), derived from Latin bonus "good" — related to bonus

Legal Definition

bounty

noun

boun·​ty ˈbau̇n-tē 

plural bounties

1

: generosity in bestowing gifts especially by will

2

: a reward, premium, or subsidy especially offered by a government