Bonne

Bonne is a term with multiple uses in French and in onomastics. In standard French, bonne is the feminine form of bon and functions as an adjective that agrees with feminine nouns. It denotes quality and is used in many common phrases, such as une bonne idée (a good idea) or une bonne femme (a good woman), illustrating how the feminine ending changes with gender.

Historically, bonne also existed as a noun meaning a female servant or maid within a household. In this sense, a bonne referred to a domestic worker, often in the service of a household’s needs. Phrases such as bonne à tout faire describe a general servant capable of performing a range of tasks.

Bonne is also encountered as a surname of French origin. As a family name, it may appear with various spellings and is found in Francophone communities and places with French heritage. The plural form Bonnes is used when referring to multiple people bearing the surname.

In modern usage, the adjective sense remains most common in everyday French, while the noun sense survives in historical or literary contexts. In English-language contexts, mentions of bonne typically appear when discussing historical households or translations of French texts, where it denotes a female servant or is cited as the feminine form of bon. The term thus spans grammar, social history, and onomastics, reflecting both language and culture.