big Ike


nounChiefly South Midland and Southern U.S.: Disparaging.
  1. a self-important person.

Origin of big Ike

1
An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

word story For big Ike

Ike or Ikey , formerly a common Jewish man’s name (derived from Isaac), has also been used contemptuously to refer to any Jewish male. By the early 20th century, big Ike arose as an American regionalism used to describe a conceited or self-important person, possibly derived from Ike in the older sense of a Jewish male.

Words Nearby big Ike

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024