bonus: Meaning and Definition of

bo•nus

Pronunciation: (bō'nus), [key]
— pl. -nus•es.
  1. something given or paid over and above what is due.
  2. a sum of money granted or given to an employee, a returned soldier, etc., in addition to regular pay, usually in appreciation for work done, length of service, accumulated favors, etc.
  3. something free, as an extra dividend, given by a corporation to a purchaser of its securities.
  4. a premium paid for a loan, contract, etc.
  5. something extra or additional given freely: Every purchaser of a pound of coffee received a box of cookies as a bonus.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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