Meaning & use
porte-bonheur
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableformalrare
A small object or charm that someone carries because they believe it brings good luck.
Grammar: Borrowed from French and still often written with a hyphen; the plural can be 'porte-bonheurs' or unchanged 'porte-bonheur'.
Patterns
- carry a porte-bonheur
- a porte-bonheur for something
She keeps a tiny silver porte-bonheur in her purse for exams.
In the story, the sailor refuses to leave without his porte-bonheur.
Word forms
| plural | porte-bonheurs |
|---|
Common combinations
- a lucky porte-bonheur
- He calls the old coin his lucky porte-bonheur.
- carry a porte-bonheur
- Many dancers carry a porte-bonheur in their dance bag.
- a small porte-bonheur
- The shop sells a small porte-bonheur shaped like a horseshoe.
Synonyms and how they differ
- charm
- The everyday English word for a lucky object; 'porte-bonheur' sounds more literary or French.
- talisman
- Similar, but a talisman is often thought to have protective magic as well as bringing luck.
- lucky charm
- A very common phrase; use it in normal conversation instead of 'porte-bonheur'.
Commonly confused: porte-bonheur or bonheur?
porte-bonheur vs bonheur
'Bonheur' is French for 'happiness'; 'porte-bonheur' literally means 'carry-happiness' and refers to the lucky object itself.
Practice
What is a porte-bonheur?
Choose one answer.
A porte-bonheur is a lucky charm or small object carried for good luck. The word comes from French and is rare in everyday English.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “porte-bonheur”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.