noun

benedict

BEH-nuh-dihkt

noun

A man who has recently married, especially one who was long seen as a confirmed bachelor.

"Friends teased the new benedict about trading his freedom for a mortgage."

Short for eggs Benedict, a breakfast dish of poached eggs, ham or bacon, and hollandaise sauce on an English muffin.

"He ordered a benedict and orange juice for brunch."

How to Use Benedict

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither a newly married former bachelor, or the eggs-and-hollandaise brunch dish.

Common mistake

The bachelor-turned-groom sense is dated and rarely used in everyday speech; most people today only meet this word on a brunch menu.

Word Forms

more benedict comparative, benedicted past tense, benedicts plural, Benedicts plural, benedicts singular, most benedict superlative

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Friends teased the new _____ about trading his freedom for a mortgage.

Etymology

The bachelor sense comes from Benedick, a witty confirmed bachelor in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, who ends up marrying anyway. The name itself traces to Latin Benedictus, "blessed."

Rhymes for benedict

edict predict

See all rhymes for benedict →