bien
adv. manner C2 Proficiency US //ˈbin// bi·en
adv. a word from French that means 'well'. You usually see it in phrases like 'bien entendu', which means 'of course'.
adv. the French word for 'well', used in English primarily within loan phrases or specific cultural contexts. Typically appears in fixed expressions such as 'bien entendu' or 'bien pensant'.
He said 'bien entendu' to show he agreed.
The critic described the film's ending as 'bien entendu', suggesting it was entirely expected and conventional.
While the term is rarely used in isolation in English, it persists in the vocabulary of the 'bien pensant' elite to describe socially acceptable or orthodox opinions.
Usage
Primarily functions as a loanword within fixed French phrases; rarely used as a standalone adverb in English prose.