Definition

1. Noun:
   • A clever remark: A witty or smartly phrased comment, often demonstrating quick thinking and verbal skill. It is typically a short, memorable saying intended to be amusing or insightful.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The dinner guest charmed everyone with a series of well-timed bons mots.
  • Her speech was sprinkled with clever bons mots that kept the audience engaged.
  • He is famous for his ability to deliver a perfect bon mot in any situation.

Advanced Usage

• "to have a ready supply of bons mots": to be consistently witty and able to produce clever remarks easily.

  • As a talk show host, she has a ready supply of bons mots for every guest.

• "the art of the bon mot": the skill of making witty remarks.

  • He studied the great conversationalists to master the art of the bon mot.

Variants and Related Words

• Witticism (n): A witty remark. (A close synonym, though sometimes considered slightly less elegant than a bon mot).

  • The essay was full of sharp witticisms.

• Epigram (n): A concise, clever, and often paradoxical statement. (This is a more formal, literary cousin of the bon mot).

  • Oscar Wilde was a master of the epigram.

Synonyms

• Quip: A clever, witty, or sarcastic remark.
• Jest: A joke or witty remark.
• Repartee: Quick, witty conversation or replies.

Notes on Usage

• Plural Form: The standard plural is bons mots. The pronunciation of the final 's' in 'mot' is typically silent in both singular and plural.
• Register: This is a term of French origin used in formal or literary English to describe a particularly elegant and clever remark. It is not typically used in casual, everyday conversation.
• Context: A bon mot is specifically a spoken or written remark. It is not used to describe a general sense of humor or a funny situation, but rather a specific, clever utterance.

Noun

1. a clever remark