What does debonair mean?
Word: Debonair
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Debonair means confident, stylish and charming, usually said of a man who is well dressed and at ease with people.
Synonyms: suave, stylish, charming
Antonyms: awkward, uncouth
Word origin: Came into English in the 1200s from Old French, where it was a phrase of three short words run together.
How do you spell debonair?
Syllables: deb - o - nair
Tricky part: The ending is -air, as in hair and chair, with no e after it.
Watch out for: debonare, debonayr
Memory tip: A debonair man always has neat hair, and the word ends in air, spelt just like hair.
Debonair in a sentence
Example 1: The debonair actor waved to the crowd from the red carpet.
Example 2: In his new suit and polished shoes, Grandpa looked quite debonair at the wedding.
Example 3: The detective in the old film was debonair and never lost his temper.
Fun Fact
Older English books sometimes spell it debonaire, closer to the French; today's dictionaries give debonair as the main spelling.
Practise the CREST Way
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence:
Debonair comes from ___ and it means ___. 1. Italian 2. French 3. Latin 4. Spanish 5. of good nature 6. well fed 7. a good friend 8. fresh air
a) 3/6
b) 4/8
c) 2/7
d) 2/5
Show answer
d) 2/5. It comes from the French phrase de bon aire, of good nature; the air in it is not the air we breathe.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
ribaonde 12345678
a) 72456381
b) 78452361
c) 78356421
d) 78316425
Show answer
c) 78356421. Taking the letters in this order gives the eight letters of debonair.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) rendezvous
b) connoisseur
c) chauffeur
d) debbonair
Show answer
d) debbonair. Debonair has a single b: deb-o-nair.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with a word of similar meaning:
1. debonair 2. meticulous 3. gullible a. painstaking b. dapper c. naive
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. A debonair man is dapper, meticulous work is painstaking and a gullible person is naive.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these guests is least likely to be called debonair?
a) one with an easy, warm smile
b) one in a pressed linen suit
c) one who greets everyone politely
d) one in a crumpled, stained shirt
Show answer
d) one in a crumpled, stained shirt
2. Which pair of words best describes a debonair person?
a) shy and clumsy
b) nervous and untidy
c) loud and impolite
d) self-assured and polished
Show answer
d) self-assured and polished
