bossy

¹

[ baw-see, bos-ee ]

adjective

, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.

1. given to ordering people about; overly authoritative; domineering.

   Synonyms: abrasive, overbearing, dictatorial, officious, high-handed

bossy

²

[ baw-see, bos-ee ]

adjective

, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.

1. studded with knoblike or projecting parts.

bossy

³

[ bos-ee, baw-see ]

noun

, plural bos·sies.

1. a familiar name for a cow or calf.

bossy

¹

/ ˈbɒsɪ /

adjective

1. informal.
   domineering, overbearing, or authoritarian

bossy

²

/ ˈbɒsɪ /

adjective

1. (of furniture) ornamented with bosses

Derived Forms

• ˈbossiness, noun
• ˈbossily, adverb

Other Words From

• bossi·ly adverb
• bossi·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bossy¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; boss ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of bossy²

First recorded in 1535–45; boss ² + -y ¹

Origin of bossy³

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; boss ³ + -y ²

Example Sentences

Granted, they had some hiccups in the eight weeks — she could be interpreted as “bossy” at times and he allowed himself to get in quite the mood when he felt embarrassed — they were all in and genuinely in love.

From Essence.com

Women often are mischaracterized as over-opinionated or bossy, but Debbie saw my ideas as just that — as creativity, and as ideas, and as passion.

From Washington Post

I realized just how bossy I am as a parent, when my daughter and I visited Hadzabe families in Tanzania.

From Time

Yet, if she leans the other way, conforming to more “masculine” traits, like toughness or assertiveness, she is likely to be seen as abrasive, bossy—or worse.

From Fortune

While Facebook COO and Lean In guru Sheryl Sandberg urged teachers to “ban bossy,” they embrace the label “boss” wholeheartedly.

From The Daily Beast

And women have much bigger fish to fry than banning the word “bossy.”

From The Daily Beast

I now see how loaded “bossy” is with gender biases and expectations.

From The Daily Beast

By turns bossy, blustery, and self-deprecating, Frida insinuates herself into every aspect of the place.

From The Daily Beast

Beautiful, brainy, and bossy—on the surface, Gu Kailai was a new breed of Politburo wife.

From The Daily Beast

We are getting on very well, though I think Joanna is too bossy, and mammy is nearly as bad.

From Project Gutenberg

Mac stayed on guard at the fence while I took our potato pail and went over to make the acquaintance of Bossy.

From Project Gutenberg

Bossy attained considerable reputation, and ended his days with a fair competence.

From Project Gutenberg

If I was a little girl about your age, I never should get tired of looking at that speckled bossy out in the barn.

From Project Gutenberg

I almost wished she had to be fastened into the stall a while, just to see if she wouldn't get tired of that speckled bossy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• imperious
• overbearing
• pushy