French word

bonté

Pronunciation

IPA/bɔ̃te/

Meaning

  • feminine nounkindness

Example

La bonté du professeur aide les élèves.

The teacher's kindness helps the students.

Illustration for bonté (kindness)

More examples

Un acte de bonté peut changer la journée de quelqu'un.

An act of kindness can change someone's day.

Core concept

A generous moral force that turns concern for others into kind actions.

Common phrases

  • un acte de bonté

    an act of kindness

  • faire preuve de bonté

    show kindness

  • manquer de bonté

    lack kindness

Similar words

gentillesse: A kind and helpful way of treating other people.
bienveillance: A gentle attitude that seeks another person's well-being.

Definition in French

Qualité morale qui pousse à la gentillesse et à la générosité envers les autres.

Word origin

French bonté comes through Old French from Latin bonitas, formed from bonus, 'good', and developed into the modern noun for moral goodness and kindness.

Usage tips

  • Bonté is feminine: la bonté, and la bonté de quelqu'un describes a person's kind and generous nature.

Other meanings

  • generositynoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word