bless you

From Middle English God blesse you, God blisse you.

• IPA^(key): /ˈblɛs juː/

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bless you!

1. Short for (may) God bless you: said as a short prayer for the recipient.
2. (idiomatic) Said to someone who has just sneezed, as a polite remark.

   Synonym: gesundheit

3. (idiomatic, humorous) Used to express non-understanding of someone who has just used an unusual or foreign word or phrase (as if to imply that it sounds like a sneeze).
   • 2000 July 8, J. K. Rowling [pseudonym; Joanne Rowling], “The Goblet of Fire”, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Harry Potter; 4), London: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 221:

     ‘What’s that?’ said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding.
     ‘Bouillabaisse,’ said Hermione.
     ‘Bless you,’ said Ron.
     ‘It’s French,’ said Hermione. ‘I had it on holiday, summer before last, it’s very nice.’

• Saying bless you after a sneeze is not considered particularly religious. The remark is used by and toward those who belong to a religion as well as those who do not.