boss Meaning & Definition
What Does Boss Mean?
Boss is used as a noun meaning One who is in charge of something. One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor. It can also mean One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor. As a verb, it means To exercise authoritative control over; to tell (someone) what to do, often repeatedly. As an adjective, it means Of excellent quality, first-rate.
Word Facts for Boss
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /bɒs/ |
| Synonyms | head, top and stud |
| Plural | bosses |
| Comparative / superlative | bosser, bossest |
| Verb forms | bosses, bossing, bossed |
Boss Definition (Noun)
- One who is in charge of something.
One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
The boss of the company was going to Spain for work.
- One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
The boss of the company was going to Spain for work.
- A person in charge of a business or company.
Chat turned to whisper when the boss entered the conference room.
- A leader, the head of an organized group or team.
They named him boss because he had good leadership skills.
- The head of a political party in a given region or district.
He is the Republican boss in Kentucky.
- The male owner or man in charge of a large rural property.
- One's wife.
There's no olive oil; will sunflower oil do? — I'll have to run that by the boss.
- A term of address to a man, especially a customer; sometimes also to a friend or acquaintance of equal standing.
Good to see you, boss.
- An enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress.
Boss as a Verb
- To exercise authoritative control over; to tell (someone) what to do, often repeatedly.
Boss as an Adjective
- Of excellent quality, first-rate.
That is a boss Zefron poster.
Noun
- A lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.
- A lump-like mass of rock, especially one projecting through a stratum of different rock.
- A convex protuberance in hammered work, especially the rounded projection in the centre of a shield.
- A protrusion; frequently a cylinder of material that extends beyond a hole.
- A knob or projection, usually at the intersection of ribs in a vault.
- A roughly cut stone set in place for later carving.
- A target block, made of foam but historically made of hay bales, to which a target face is attached.
- A wooden vessel for the mortar used in tiling or masonry, hung by a hook from the laths, or from the rounds of a ladder.
- A head or reservoir of water.
Verb
- To decorate with bosses; to emboss.
Noun
- A hassock or small seat, especially made from a bundle of straw.
Noun
- A person who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
- A term of address to a man.
Yes, boss.
- Wife.
There's no olive oil; will sunflower oil do? — I'll have to run that by the boss.
Noun
- A swelling, lump or protuberance in an animal, person or object.
Synonyms of Boss
Boss in a Sentence
The boss of the company was going to Spain for work.
Chat turned to whisper when the boss entered the conference room.
My boss complains that I'm always late to work.
They named him boss because he had good leadership skills.
He is the Republican boss in Kentucky.
There's no olive oil; will sunflower oil do? — I'll have to run that by the boss.
Good to see you, boss.
That is a boss Zefron poster.
Yes, boss.
Word Forms & Grammar
boss (plural bosses)
boss (third-person singular simple present bosses, present participle bossing, simple past and past participle bossed)
boss (comparative bosser, superlative bossest)
Words That Rhyme With Boss
Origin of Boss
Origin 1: Borrowed 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”). Doublet of baas.
Origin 2: 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.
Origin 3: The video game sense is a semantic loan from Japanese ボス (bosu), borrowed from English boss.
Origin 4: From Middle English bos, bose, boce, from Old French boce (“lump, bulge, protuberance, knot”), from Frankish *bottja, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (“to hit, strike, beat”). Related to beat; see there for more.
Questions People Ask About Boss
Is boss a noun or a verb?
Boss is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is another word for boss?
You can replace boss with words such as head, top and stud. See the full list of boss synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of boss?
The plural of boss is bosses.
What is the past tense of boss?
The past tense of boss is bossed. The present participle is bossing.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of boss?
The comparative form is bosser and the superlative form is bossest.