kingpin
Americannoun
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Bowling.
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Informal. the person of chief importance in a corporation, movement, undertaking, etc.
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Informal. the chief element of any system, plan, or the like.
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a kingbolt.
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either of the pins that are a part of the mechanism for turning the front wheels in some automotive steering systems.
noun
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the most important person in an organization
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the crucial or most important feature of a theory, argument, etc
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Also called (Brit): swivel pin. a pivot pin that provides a steering joint in a motor vehicle by securing the stub axle to the axle beam
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tenpin bowling the front pin in the triangular arrangement of the ten pins
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(in ninepins) the central pin in the diamond pattern of the nine pins
Etymology
Origin of kingpin
Explanation
A kingpin, also called a "center pin" or a "five pin," is the pin at the very center in bowling. From the bowling pin definition of kingpin, we get its other common meaning: someone who is important. If you are the kingpin in your office, you are probably the boss. The kingpin is the bigwig or the very most important, authoritative, or essential person in a group. The kingpins of the music business are often the owners of record labels rather than the actual musicians, and the kingpin of your bowling team is the person who bowls a strike every single time. In machines, an important vertical bolt can also be called a kingpin. In other words, there is a good reason that king is the most important part of kingpin.
Vocabulary lists containing kingpin
They Both Die at the End
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"A&P" by John Updike
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American Street
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Fisk is on a journey,” says Vincent D’Onofrio, who portrays the man also known as Kingpin, during a recent phone interview.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2025
Under his helm at Marvel, a number of other memorable characters were introduced, including Kingpin, Luke Cage and Wolverine.
From New York Times • Jun. 14, 2023
He also had a hand in other favourites such as Kingpin and the Punisher.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2023
D’Onofrio’s Kingpin has already made an appearance on Disney’s streaming platform through a role on last year’s Hawkeye.
From The Verge • Jul. 23, 2022
Marvel hasn't announced any plans for the rest of the Defenders, but with Daredevil and Kingpin already brought in it opens the door for the other characters, as well.
From Salon • Feb. 18, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
