bon mot means A clever saying, phrase, or witticism; often, a witty riposte in dialogue. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
bon mot is pronounced /bɒn məʊ/.
Why “bon mot” is a great word
BON MOT — [Noun] A clever saying, phrase, or witticism, often a witty riposte in dialogue. Borrowed from French bon mot, literally "good word," from bon ("good") + mot ("word, remark"). Unlike an "aphorism," which distills a universal truth, or a "riposte," which exists to parry and wound, the bon mot is a self-contained jewel of polished wit, valued for its elegance and surprise. It is the crystalline retort that silences a dinner table before laughter erupts, the precisely-timed, sotto voce observation that ripples through a stifled room, and the delicate verbal filigree that turns an ordinary moment profound—a small, defiant artifact of civilization, a fleeting victory of wit over the formless chatter of the world.
noun
- A clever saying, phrase, or witticism; often, a witty riposte in dialogue.“But ſo it is: our Writer has met with a Bon Mot of this Cato’s; which, according to his ſhallow Underſtanding and ſilly Interpretation, he preſages will ever live as a noble Free-thinking Saying.”