B2 noun Neutral

bonfire

/ˈbɒnfaɪə(r)/

A large, controlled outdoor fire lit for celebration, signaling, or to dispose of garden waste. It is typically much larger than a standard campfire and is often the centerpiece of a social or cultural event.

Examples

3 of 5
1

We gathered around the bonfire on the beach to roast marshmallows and tell stories.

We gathered around the bonfire on the beach to roast marshmallows and tell stories.

2

The local authorities have issued a permit for the annual commemorative bonfire.

The local authorities have issued a permit for the annual commemorative bonfire.

3

Let's grab some old crates and have a massive bonfire tonight.

Let's grab some old crates and have a massive bonfire tonight.

Word Family

Noun
bonfire
Related
firewood
💡

Memory Tip

The word comes from 'bone-fire' (fire of bones). Imagine an ancient celebration where people threw large bones into a massive fire to remember the name.

Quick Quiz

The villagers spent all afternoon gathering wood to build a massive ________ for the summer solstice festival.

Correct!

The correct answer is: bonfire

Examples

1

We gathered around the bonfire on the beach to roast marshmallows and tell stories.

everyday

We gathered around the bonfire on the beach to roast marshmallows and tell stories.

2

The local authorities have issued a permit for the annual commemorative bonfire.

formal

The local authorities have issued a permit for the annual commemorative bonfire.

3

Let's grab some old crates and have a massive bonfire tonight.

informal

Let's grab some old crates and have a massive bonfire tonight.

4

Sociological studies suggest that the community bonfire served as a primary site for tribal cohesion.

academic

Sociological studies suggest that the community bonfire served as a primary site for tribal cohesion.

5

The luxury resort features a nightly bonfire to enhance the guest experience in the outdoor lounge area.

business

The luxury resort features a nightly bonfire to enhance the guest experience in the outdoor lounge area.

Word Family

Noun
bonfire
Related
firewood

Common Collocations

light a bonfire light a bonfire
build a bonfire build a bonfire
dance around the bonfire dance around the bonfire
huge bonfire huge bonfire
bonfire embers bonfire embers

Common Phrases

bonfire of the vanities

a burning of objects condemned as authorities

a bonfire of regulations

a metaphorical large-scale destruction of rules or red tape

bonfire night

a traditional UK celebration on November 5th

Often Confused With

bonfire vs campfire

A campfire is small and used for cooking or warmth while camping; a bonfire is much larger and used for celebrations or burning waste.

bonfire vs pyre

A pyre is a structure, usually made of wood, used specifically for burning a corpse as part of a funeral rite.

📝

Usage Notes

The word is almost exclusively used for outdoor settings. In a metaphorical sense, it is often used to describe the large-scale disposal or destruction of documents or regulations.

⚠️

Common Mistakes

Learners often call any fire outside a 'bonfire', but it must be large and intentional. Do not use 'bonfire' to describe an accidental fire like a forest fire or a house fire.

💡

Memory Tip

The word comes from 'bone-fire' (fire of bones). Imagine an ancient celebration where people threw large bones into a massive fire to remember the name.

📖

Word Origin

From Middle English 'bonefire', literally meaning a fire for burning bones.

Grammar Patterns

Countable noun Used with verbs: build, light, stoke, extinguish
🌍

Cultural Context

In the United Kingdom, bonfires are the central element of Guy Fawkes Night (November 5th) to commemorate the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Quick Quiz

The villagers spent all afternoon gathering wood to build a massive ________ for the summer solstice festival.

Correct!

The correct answer is: bonfire

Related Words

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micromerctude

C1

The state or quality of being excessively focused on minute, often trivial details within a mercantile or commercial context. It describes a meticulous precision that borderlines on pedantry, usually regarding small-scale financial transactions or specific trade conditions.

comvertant

C1

A comvertant refers to an entity, proposition, or individual currently undergoing a process of transformation or conversion. It is often used in specialized academic or technical contexts to denote the specific subject being changed from one state or category to another.

subgravate

C1

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dispetize

C1

A dispetize is a formal process or systematic act of resolving minor grievances and petty disputes within a professional or social organization. It serves as a clearinghouse for small-scale conflicts to ensure they do not escalate into significant structural issues.

ultrademation

C1

Ultrademation refers to the state or process of extreme, total automation where human intervention is entirely replaced by autonomous systems and decision-making algorithms. It represents the highest possible tier of technological autonomy within an industrial or digital framework.

semipulsate

C1

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adsontion

C1

To undergo or facilitate the process of molecular adhesion where molecules of a gas, liquid, or dissolved solid accumulate on the surface of a solid or liquid. Unlike absorption, this process is strictly a surface phenomenon and does not involve the substance being taken into the body of the material.

intrarogship

C1

Relating to the internal state or quality of inquiry and mutual accountability within a specific group or institution. It describes the dynamics of procedural questioning that remain within a single organizational hierarchy rather than involving external parties.

underpacant

C1

To perform a task or meet a requirement at a rate or quality lower than what was previously established or expected. It is often used in technical or administrative contexts to describe a failure to keep pace with a specific standard or quota.

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