bonanza
UK[bəˈnæn.zə]US[bəˈnæn.zə]
n
a situation in which a lot of money can be made or a source of great wealth or luck
n
a rich mass of ore in a mine
Etymology
the word 'bonanza' entered english in the mid-19th century from american spanish, where it means 'fair weather at sea' or 'prosperity'. the spanish term itself derives from the medieval latin word 'bonacia', a variant of the latin 'malacia' meaning 'calm sea', which was influenced by the latin adjective 'bonus' meaning 'good'. the semantic shift from 'good weather' to 'prosperity' and then to a 'source of sudden wealth' was solidified during the california gold rush, where miners used it to describe a rich vein of ore. thus, a term for favorable sailing conditions evolved into a metaphor for striking it rich.
Analysis
this word is a direct loanword from spanish, where it retains its original spelling and meaning. it is not productively segmented using english morphemes.
Examples
the discovery of oil was an economic bonanza for the region.
the tech boom created a bonanza for early investors.
after years of modest returns, the company hit a bonanza with its new product line.