big kahuna

[big kuh-hoo-nuh]

noun

Slang.

1. the most important or dominant person or thing: Their scholarship program is the industry’s big kahuna.

   He’s the big kahuna of a large travel agency.

   Their scholarship program is the industry’s big kahuna.

Word History and Origins

Origin of big kahuna¹

First recorded in 1955–60; big ¹ ( def. ), kahuna ( def. )

Related Words

• bigwig 
• dignitary 
• heavyweight 
• mogul