big daddy

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noun (often initial capital letters)Informal.

a man regarded as the paternalistic head of a family.

the founder or a leading member of a company, organization, movement, etc.: the big daddy of soil conservation.

the federal government: to thank big daddy for the tax cut.

Chiefly Southern U.S. grandfather.

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Origin of big daddy

First recorded in 1950–55

Words nearby big daddy

big cheese, big Chief, big-cone pine, big crunch, Big D, big daddy, big data, big deal, Big Dipper, bigeminy, big enchilada

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use big daddy in a sentence

Between 25 and 30, you’re trying to decide how much longer before you start growing a beard and calling yourself ‘Daddy.
Freaking Out About Age Gaps in Gay Relationships Is Homophobic|Samantha Allen|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In that photo, Merabet has a big smile that spreads across his whole face and lights up his eyes.
The Muslim Cop Killed by Terrorists|Michael Daly|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Big Five banks dubbed too big to fail, are 35 percent bigger than they were when the meltdown was triggered.
Sen. Warren’s Main Street Crusade to Pressure Clinton|Eleanor Clift|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Their three-day scientific outing was paid for by Epstein and was big success.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

I really wanted Trenchmouth to succeed and at the time wished we were as big as Green Day.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The big room at King's Warren Parsonage was already fairly well filled.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
Sol laughed out of his whiskers, with a big, loose-rolling sound, and sat on the porch without waiting to be asked.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
There were at least a dozen ladies seated round the big table at the Parsonage.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
I pictured him as slim and young looking, smooth-faced, with golden curly hair, and big brown eyes.
The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
Big Reginald took their lives at pool, and pocketed their half-crowns in an easy genial way, which almost made losing a pleasure.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

Other Idioms and Phrases with big daddy

big daddy

An influential man, a big shot (see under big cheese), as in You'll have to get permission from big daddy. [Slang; mid-1900s]

A male sweetheart or friend, often a man considerably older than his female companion; a sugar daddy. [Slang; mid-1900s]

Grandfather. This usage originated in the South among African-Americans.

The largest or most important person or thing of its kind. For example, The United States has long been the big daddy of the Western Hemisphere, or The blue whale was the big daddy of the ocean. [Slang; 1960s]