boss

Meaning

1. A person who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
2. A person in charge of a business or company.
3. A leader, the head of an organized group or team.
4. The head of a political party in a given region or district.
5. (informal) A term of address to a man.
6. An enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress.
7. Wife.

chief

political boss

get smth. all wrong

make a mess

party boss

operate

mistress of the house

make a hash

person in charge

rule over

senior official

wend

bush ring

council member

give orders

head foreman

important person

letter of recommendation

secretary-general

very important person

top management

influential man

upper part of a flag

superior authorities

main pipe

have authority

cazique

caudillo

Chinese big businessman

feudal official

original boss

rich Chinese

the higher-ups

top banana

charge-hand

line manager

be master

protuberant ornament

big enchilada

bossage

general foreman

boss-shot

main duct

lug boss

bossed ornament

axile bush

fautor

Pomo

work leader

stop

🛑

family head

absolute ruler

address

arresting device

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bɒs/

From Dutch baas, from Middle Dutch baes (“master of a household, friend”), from Old Dutch *baso (“uncle, kinsman”), from Proto-West Germanic *baswō, from Proto-Germanic *baswô (“uncle”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *ba-, *bō- (“father, older male relative”), source also of the English terms babe, boy, bub, bully. Cognate with Middle Low German bās (“supervisor, foreman”), Old Frisian bas (“master”), hence Saterland Frisian Boas (“boss”), Old High German basa (“father's sister, cousin”), hence German Base (“aunt, cousin”). Originally a term of respect used to address an older relative. Later, in New Amsterdam, it began to mean a person in charge who is not a master. The representation of Dutch -aa- by English -o- is due to the older unrounded pronunciation of this letter, which is still used in North America and parts of Ireland, but was formerly found in some British accents as well. The video game sense is borrowed from Japanese ボス (bosu), in turn from English boss.

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