definitions

bossy

1
[ baw-see, bos-ee ]
/ ˈbɔ si, ˈbɒs i /
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adjective, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.

given to ordering people about; overly authoritative; domineering.

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RELATED WORDS

pushy, imperious, overbearing, authoritarian, commanding, controlling, despotic, dictatorial, high-handed, oppressive, overpowering, strict, tyrannical

Nearby words

bossier city, bossing, bossism, bossman, bossuet, bossy, bosthoon, boston, boston bag, boston baked beans, boston bluefish

Origin of bossy

1
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; boss1 + -y1

Related forms

boss·i·ly, adverbboss·i·ness, noun

Definition for bossy (2 of 3)

bossy

2
[ baw-see, bos-ee ]
/ ˈbɔ si, ˈbɒs i /

adjective, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.

studded with bosses.

Origin of bossy

2
First recorded in 1535–45; boss2 + -y1

Definition for bossy (3 of 3)

bossy

3
[ bos-ee, baw-see ]
/ ˈbɒs i, ˈbɔ si /

noun, plural bos·sies.

a familiar name for a cow or calf.

Origin of bossy

3
An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; boss3 + -y2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bossy

British Dictionary definitions for bossy (1 of 2)

bossy

1
/ (ˈbɒsɪ) /

adjective bossier or bossiest

informal domineering, overbearing, or authoritarian

Derived Forms

bossily, adverbbossiness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for bossy (2 of 2)

bossy

2
/ (ˈbɒsɪ) /

adjective

(of furniture) ornamented with bosses
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