bonfire
/ˈbɒnfʌɪə
/noun
A large open-air fire used for burning rubbish or as part of a celebration: the smell of burning leaves from a garden bonfire figurative yet again, events had made a bonfire of her plans...
- She added that the annual Halloween celebrations will see bonfires on the area, only making things worse than they already are.
- A warning has gone out to people thinking of having bonfires in their gardens after a fire went out of control.
- We ask people to be aware of the litter laws and not dump any type of rubbish for the bonfires on the greens.
Origin
Late Middle English: from bone + fire. The term originally denoted a large open-air fire on which bones were burnt (sometimes as part of a celebration), also one for burning heretics or proscribed literature. Dr Johnson accepted the mistaken idea that the word came from French bon 'good'.