bonanza

English

Etymology

From Spanish bonanza (calm sea, fair weather, good luck, rich lode), from Medieval Latin bonacia (fair weather), a blend of bonus (good) + malacia (calm sea).

Pronunciation

  • (file)
    Rhymes: -ænzə

Noun

bonanza (plural bonanzas)

  1. (mining) A rich mine or vein of silver or gold.
  2. The point at which two mother lodes intersect.
  3. (by extension) Anything which is a mine of wealth or yields a large income or return.
    • 2013 August 31, Bagehot, “The parable of the Clyde”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8851:
      For two decades the bonanza on Scotland’s west coast continued. An occupation that had been seasonal and modestly profitable became year-round and lucrative. Baskets of herring put televisions into fishermen’s cottages and cars outside their doors. But fish, like oil and gas, with which Scotland’s continental shelf is also well-endowed, are not in unlimited supply.
    The popular show quickly became a ratings bonanza for the network.

Antonyms

Translations


Spanish

Noun

bonanza f (plural bonanzas)

  1. good weather
  2. bloom, flourishing
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