Bonce

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /bɒns/

Definitions

1. The head or brain of a person, often used in a casual or humorous context
2. Refers informally to the human skull or mental capacity, typically in a playful or slangy way
3. A slang term for the top part of the body containing the brain, frequently used to mean intelligence or thought

Etymology: The most likely explanation links this British slang term for the head to a round object. Dialect speakers in Britain used a related word for a large glass marble, and the head may have been named by the same playful comparison. Its exact origin is uncertain, though, and no firm first-use date is known. The word is also connected to "bonzer," an Australian slang adjective meaning excellent or splendid. Where "bonzer" came from is itself disputed, so the link tells us that the two words belong to the same loose family of informal British and Australian slang rather than settling either origin. Those who want to trace the word further will find its earliest records and the reasoning behind the marble theory more useful than any single confident answer.

Synonyms: head