fem. bonne vivante. One fond of good living; a gourmand.
1798. Mar. & R. L. Edgeworth, Pract. Educ. (1822), I. 357. The sympathy of bon vivants is very lively and sincere towards each other.
1824. Byron, Juan, XV. lxiv. But though a bonne vivante Her stomachs not her peccant part.
1862. Frasers Mag., July, 46. He was also a bon-vivant, a diner-out, and a story-teller.
See BONAIR, BONALLY, BON-BON, BONCHIEF, BONGRACE, BONGRE, BONHOMIE, BONHOMME; cf. BONNE.