bossy

1
[ baw-see, bos-ee ]
/ ˈbɔ si, ˈbɒs i /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR bossy ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.

given to ordering people about; overly authoritative; domineering.

QUIZZES

QUIZ TIME: TEST YOUR MEMORY OF THE MAY 2020 WORDS OF THE DAY

Let the aeolian gusts transport you back to these popular Words of the Day from the month of May. How many do you remember?
Question 1 of 10
Which of the following words means “to travel or journey, especially to walk on foot”?
hightail
peregrinate
perpetrate
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of bossy

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

OTHER WORDS FROM bossy

boss·i·ly, adverbboss·i·ness, noun

Words nearby bossy

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

Definition for bossy (2 of 3)

bossy2
[ 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)

bossy3
[ 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. 2020

Words related to bossy

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

Example sentences from the Web for bossy

British Dictionary definitions for bossy (1 of 2)

bossy1
/ (ˈbɒsɪ) /

adjective bossier or bossiest

informal domineering, overbearing, or authoritarian

Derived forms of bossy

bossily, adverbbossiness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for bossy (2 of 2)

bossy2
/ (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