supremo

American  

[suh-pree-moh, soo-] / səˈpri moʊ, sʊ- /

noun

Chiefly British Informal.

plural

supremos

1. the person in charge; chief.

2. a person of supreme or complete power, authority, ability, etc..

   His victory makes him the new chess supremo.

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supremo British  

/ sjʊ-, sʊˈpriːməʊ /

noun

1. informal a person in overall authority

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Etymology

Origin of supremo

First recorded in 1835–40; from Spanish or Italian supremo, both from Latin suprēmus supreme; supremo def. 2 sense perhaps especially from Spanish El Supremo as the title of Latin American dictators, for example, J. G. Rodríguez Francia (1766–1840), Paraguayan dictator

Example Sentences

Ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone and Austrian ski legend Franz Klammer were keen onlookers as a crowd of thousands ringed the finish area.

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

A quick ring around the site fixed the gap in the schedule, with UK rap supremo Skepta putting on an impromptu performance.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2025

His tongue-in-cheek advertising copy described it in his characteristic foreign-language gibberish as a “supre, supremi, Italio supremo if there ever was one.”

From Slate • Nov. 22, 2023

It is complicated further by another case running parallel that requires Will to go undercover at a law firm to get a lead on elusive crime supremo Olivia Waterhouse.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 3, 2023

The Europeans are hastily forming their own defence alliance and finally appointed Mr. PESC, the long awaited EU foreign policy supremo.

From After the Rain : how the West lost the East by Vaknin, Samuel