Mr. Big

American

noun

Slang.

a man having the highest authority, control, prestige, or influence in a group, field, situation, or the like, especially in the underworld.

Mr Big British

noun

slang the head of an organization, esp of a criminal organization

"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

Etymology

Origin of Mr. Big

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“You” performer Camp did mention that she was an actor, but Mr. Big didn’t follow up.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

The chat started with a question about their worst dates then segued into Mr. Big asking what the two expect from a guy on a first date.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

“He’s Mr. Big Shot,” added Jones, who snared 11 of his own boards, good for his sixth double-double of the season.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 27, 2024

Last year, Peloton suffered some bad P.R. for killing off Mr. Big.

From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2023

It was being said that I loved playing “coast- to-coast Mr. Big Shot.”

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023