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
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Noun
But Anthony does not need to be Barry Bonds (seven MVPs) or even Shohei Ohtani (three) to have this deal be a financial boon for a player who, just three months ago, could not legally buy a drink. Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 And from the art department’s point of view, what a boon. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025 The latest example came last week with Google DeepMind unveiling an AI system called Aeneas that can pinpoint the date of Latin inscriptions—a boon to classicists and historians. Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 29 July 2025 There are 11 categories to choose from, and 190 rooms provide connectivity–a boon for multigenerational travelers. Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 25 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for boon

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boon. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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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