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 tectonic shifts that carved out this lush vista 30 million years ago mean much of this land sits atop pressurized steam, groundwater, and hot rocks — a geological bounty that Kenya has tapped to become the world’s sixth-largest geothermal energy producer. —Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2025

Executive chef Tyler Langley and his team select the week’s freshest seafood and craft dishes that showcase the bounty of the Gulf. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025

That’s in addition to swim lessons at Golden West College, plus the city’s bounty of classes, camps and sports for kids. —Liz Ohanesian, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025

Powell himself has previously weighed in on the AI jobs debate, which saw predictions of a 50% wipeout of white-collar jobs and a fourth industrial revolution creating a bounty of new positions, by staking out a middle position. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Sep. 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