boss

[ baws, bos ]

/ bɔs, bɒs /

See synonyms for: boss / bosses on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person who employs or superintends workers; manager.

a politician who controls the party organization, as in a particular district.

a person who makes decisions, exercises authority, dominates, etc.: My grandfather was the boss in his family.

(in a video game or role-playing game) a powerful nonplayer character, often appearing at the end of a level or at the end of the game, who must be defeated in order for a player to move on to a new level or to win the game (often used attributively): Is there a trick to beating the final boss?Your objective for this boss-level event is to survive several waves of zombie attacks.

verb (used with object)

to be master of or over; manage; direct. control.

to order about, especially in an arrogant manner.

verb (used without object)

to be boss.

to be too domineering and authoritative.

adjective

chief; master.

Slang. first-rate.

SYNONYMS FOR boss

1 supervisor, head, foreman, chief, superintendent, administrator, overseer.

See synonyms for boss on Thesaurus.com

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

In our third teacher-created PSAT practice test there are new and unique vocabulary terms you may have never heard of! Can you guess what they mean?

Question 1 of 10

seclusion

a false belief or opinion.

the matter that settles to the bottom of a liquid.

the state of being isolated, kept apart, or withdrawn into solitude.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of boss

An Americanism dating from 1640–50; from Dutch baas “master, foreman”

Definition for boss (2 of 4)

boss²

[ baws, bos ]

/ bɔs, bɒs /

noun

Botany, Zoology. a protuberance or roundish excrescence on the body or on some organ of an animal or plant.

Geology. a knoblike mass of rock, especially an outcrop of igneous or metamorphic rock.

an ornamental protuberance of metal, ivory, etc.; stud.

Architecture.

an ornamental, knoblike projection, as a carved keystone at the intersection of ogives.
a stone roughly formed and set in place for later carving.

Bookbinding. one of several pieces of brass or other metal inset into the cover of a book to protect the corners or edges or for decoration.

Machinery. a small projection on a casting or forging.

Nautical. a projecting part in a ship's hull, or in one frame of a hull, fitting around a propeller shaft.

verb (used with object)

to ornament with bosses.

to emboss.

(in plumbing) to hammer (sheet metal, as lead) to conform to an irregular surface.

Origin of boss

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English boce, from Anglo-French: “lump, growth, boil”; Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin bottia, of uncertain origin

Definition for boss (3 of 4)

boss³

[ bos, baws ]

/ bɒs, bɔs /

noun

a familiar name for a calf or cow.

Origin of boss

An Americanism first recorded in 1790–1800; compare dialectal (southwest England) borse, boss, buss “six-month-old calf”

Definition for boss (4 of 4)

boss⁴

[ bos ]

/ bɒs /

adjective Scot.

hollow; empty.

Origin of boss

⁴

First recorded in 1505–15; of obscure origin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

British Dictionary definitions for boss (1 of 4)

boss¹

/ (bɒs) informal /

noun

a person in charge of or employing others

mainly US a professional politician who controls a party machine or political organization, often using devious or illegal methods

verb

to employ, supervise, or be in charge of

(usually foll by around or about) to be domineering or overbearing towards (others)

adjective

slang excellent; finea boss hand at carpentry; that's boss!

Word Origin for boss

C19: from Dutch baas master; probably related to Old High German basa aunt, Frisian baes master

British Dictionary definitions for boss (2 of 4)

boss²

/ (bɒs) /

noun

a knob, stud, or other circular rounded protuberance, esp an ornamental one on a vault, a ceiling, or a shield

biology any of various protuberances or swellings in plants and animals

an area of increased thickness, usually cylindrical, that strengthens or provides room for a locating device on a shaft, hub of a wheel, etc
a similar projection around a hole in a casting or fabricated component

an exposed rounded mass of igneous or metamorphic rock, esp the uppermost part of an underlying batholith

verb (tr)

to ornament with bosses; emboss

Word Origin for boss

C13: from Old French boce, from Vulgar Latin bottia (unattested); related to Italian bozza metal knob, swelling

British Dictionary definitions for boss (3 of 4)

boss³

bossy

/ (bɒs) /

noun plural bosses or bossies

a calf or cow

Word Origin for boss

C19: from dialect buss calf, perhaps ultimately from Latin bōs cow, ox

British Dictionary definitions for boss (4 of 4)

BOSS

/ (bɒs) /

n acronym for (formerly)

Bureau of State Security; a branch of the South African security police

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for boss

boss

[ bôs ]

n.

A circumscribed rounded swelling; a protuberance.

The prominence of a kyphosis or humpback.

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boss

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

adjective

SYNONYMS FOR boss

QUIZZES

THIS PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ IS PERFECT PRACTICE FOR THE REAL TEST

Origin of boss

Definition for boss (2 of 4)

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of boss

Definition for boss (3 of 4)

noun

Origin of boss

Definition for boss (4 of 4)

adjective Scot.

Origin of boss

Words related to boss

British Dictionary definitions for boss (1 of 4)

noun

verb

adjective

Word Origin for boss

British Dictionary definitions for boss (2 of 4)

noun

verb (tr)

Word Origin for boss

British Dictionary definitions for boss (3 of 4)

bossy

noun plural bosses or bossies

Word Origin for boss

British Dictionary definitions for boss (4 of 4)

n acronym for (formerly)

Medical definitions for boss

n.