Where do we get the "bon" in bonfire?

1556, from M.E. banefire (1483), originally a fire in which bones were burned. Johnson mistakenly derived it from Fr. bon "good."

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bonfire

14th century. <bone

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/...

Etymology:

Middle English bonefire a fire of bones, from bon bone + fire

Date: 15th century

http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?...

The actual origin of "bonfire," meaning the sort of large outdoor fire often lit as part of various festivals and ceremonies around the world, has been well-established for many years. And boy, is it weird.

The question about "bonfire," of course, is the "bon" part, since we all (especially Ted) know what "fire" is. The pioneering lexicographer Samuel Johnson declared in his 1755 dictionary that the "bon" was French for "good" (which it is), and therefore "bonfire" obviously meant "good fire" (which it doesn't). What makes Dr. Johnson's error especially surprising is that when "bonfire" had first appeared in English in the 15th century, everyone understood that the "bon" meant "bone," and that a "bonfire" was originally a fire made of bones, usually animal bones that had accumulated over the course of a year.

A hundred years later, in the 16th century, the term "bonfire" was broadened to include fires used to incinerate corpses, heretical books, and sometimes the heretics themselves. Bonfires today, of course, are far more benevolent and are usually used to mark festive occasions. In fact, Ted must be planning some kind of party right now. He just called and asked to borrow all our dining room chairs.

http://www.word-detective.com/070599.html#bonfire

Bonfire Definition

A bonfire is a large controlled outdoor fire. The word is a contraction of "bone fire" ( for example "kostjor" in Russian - from "kost'" meaning "bone"). The practice is believed to derive from the Celtic festival of Samhain when animal bones were burnt to ward off evil spirits.

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Bonfire of the Vanities is a rotten book. It's hard to believe Wolfe wrote it, it's so bad. To Kill a Mockngbird is a classic and one of my favourite, every few years I get it out and read it again, just for the pleasure of the language and characterizations.

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RE:

Where do we get the &quot;bon&quot; in bonfire?

During the European plague they use to pile bodies up and burn them.