What does bonus mean?
Bonus is a noun referring to something given or received in addition to what is usual, standard, or expected. Its most familiar use is financial: a sum of money paid to employees on top of their normal salary, often tied to performance, company profits, holidays, or the completion of a project. Beyond the workplace, the word applies broadly to any welcome extra — an unexpected gift, a pleasant surprise, or an incidental advantage. A traveller might describe an upgrade to first class as a bonus, or a sunny afternoon on a rainy holiday as an unexpected one. The word carries a consistently positive connotation, signalling generosity, reward, or good fortune. Derived from Latin, where bonus simply meant 'good', it entered English usage in the seventeenth century and has since become firmly embedded in commerce, employment, and everyday language across the English-speaking world. Related terms such as 'perk' and 'windfall' overlap in meaning but lack bonus's precise sense of addition beyond an established baseline.
An extra payment or benefit given in addition to what is usual or contractual, especially to an employee.
"He used his annual bonus to pay off part of his mortgage."
Anything pleasant or advantageous gained in addition to what was expected.
"The scenic route home was a bonus after a long week."
The plural is regular, spelled with -es rather than -s.
"Year-end bonuses were higher than expected this quarter."
Bonus is literally Latin for 'good' — the same root that gives us 'bona fide' and 'bon voyage', so every time you get one, you're being told you're good.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bonus
Bonus derives directly from Latin bonus, meaning 'good' — a comparative-related form linked to the root behind bene ('well'). It was adopted into English in the eighteenth century, initially in commercial contexts, particularly stock trading, where it denoted an extra dividend or payment. The Latin root also produced related borrowings such as bona fide ('in good faith') and bonanza (via Spanish from Latin bonantia, 'fair weather'), all sharing the sense of goodness or advantage.
How bonus is actually used
Bonus is neutral to positive in connotation and common in both formal business contexts (financial compensation) and informal everyday speech (any unexpected extra). In finance it may refer to share issues made free to shareholders; in sports, 'bonus' can denote extra points.
Easily confused with bonus
Bonus means an extra benefit or payment, while onus means a burden, duty, or responsibility.