bienvenue

noun

bien·​ve·​nue

byaⁿ-və-ˈnᵫ

variants or less commonly bienvenu

byaⁿ-və-ˈnᵫ

plural -s

1

: welcome

—formerly common in English but now usually a conscious borrowing from the French

2

obsolete : an entry fee demanded from a new worker by fellow workers

Word History

Etymology

Middle English bienvenue, from Middle French, from Old French, from bienvenu welcome (adjective), from bien well (from Latin bene, adverb of bonus good) + venu, past participle of venir to come, from Latin venire

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