bons mots
Witty verbal gems
Bons mots is the plural of bon mot, a French phrase meaning "good word" that English uses to describe a clever or witty remark.
The term suggests verbal sparkle—the kind of quip that lands perfectly in conversation and might be repeated afterward.
Oscar Wilde was famous for his bons mots.
Someone known for bons mots has a talent for memorable turns of phrase, though the term itself can sound a bit precious in casual speech.
- quipsBrief witty remarks
- aphorismsConcise memorable truths
- epigramsTerse witty statements
- punsJokes using sound similarities
- turn of phraseDistinctive verbal expression
well-turned phrase · witticisms · adages · La Rochefoucauld · one-liners · wit · repartee · wordplay · zingers · sharp tongue · pleasantries · parlor games · ripostes · sayings · proverbs · anecdotes · esprit · paradoxes
- expressionsexpression, I love you, phrase, idioms, thank you
bons motsplatitudes
Trite moral remarks
bromides · banalities · clichés · inanities · groaners
bons motsmalapropisms
Confused word substitutions
gaffes · blunders · faux pas · word salad · social blunders
bons motsclichés
Overused expressions lacking originality
banalities · truisms · commonplaces · boilerplate · stock phrases