Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Drag to rotate
Tracing “”…
Where does the word "bonus" come from? It comes from Latin bonus, and was adopted directly into English (1770s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "bonus" come from? It comes from Latin bonus, and was adopted directly into English (1770s).
Bonus’s story begins in Latin: bonus meant “good.” The masculine adjective; the proper neuter would be 'bonum'. It reached English by 1770s as bonus. London Stock Exchange slang, using schoolboy Latin as a joke. Today, bonus means an extra payment or benefit.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bonus "good", the masculine adjective; the proper neuter would be 'bonum'.
- Stage 2 · English · 1770s bonus "extra payment", London Stock Exchange slang, using schoolboy Latin as a joke.