Definition
nounA person who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
nounOne who is in charge or something., One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
Sentence Examples
Lisa, this is Mr Murata. He's my boss.
You talk as if you were the boss.
I'll ask my boss if I can have the day off.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰā-
Proto-Germanic *bō-?
Proto-Germanic *baswô
Proto-West Germanic *baswō
Old Dutch *baso
Middle Dutch baes
Dutch baasbor.
English boss
Borrowed from Dutch baas, from Middle Dutch baes (“master of a household, friend”), from Old Dutch *baso (“uncle, kinsman”), from Proto-West Germanic *baswō, from Proto-Germanic *baswô (“uncle”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *ba-, *bō- (“father, older male relative”), source also of the English terms babe, boy, bub, bully. Cognate with Middle Low German bās (“supervisor, foreman”), Old Frisian bas (“master”), hence Saterland Frisian Boas (“boss”), Old High German basa (“father's sister, cousin”), hence German Base (“aunt, cousin”).
Originally a term of respect used to address an older relative. Later, in New Amsterdam, it began to mean a person in charge who is not a master.
The video game sense is borrowed from Japanese ボス (bosu), borrowed from English boss.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"we have some vindictive people as bosses, and you don’t want to be the target of their wrath."
— 2018 February 18, Dawn Pine, “Strategies for Dealing with a Bad Boss”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), archived from the original on 01 Oct 2020:
""Our Boss has resigned!" said Joe Chandler slowly, impressively.
"No! Not the Commissioner o’ Police?" exclaimed Bunting."
— 1913, Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes, The Lodger:
"Above all, she must not tell the boss of any little irregularity she may see."
— 1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 5:
"Cuphead built a reputation for difficulty before release, but its boss battles are mostly about recognizing patterns than getting lucky against unfair bosses. Watching players ace their way through the game’s bosses is a spellbinding reminder that even tough games can be defeated easily with hard work."
— 2017 October 2, Heather Alexandra, “Cuphead Player Beats Bosses Without Taking A Single Hit”, in Kotaku, archived from the original on 18 Feb 2018:
"His sisters bossed him and spoiled him. All their lives he was to go on being their little brother, who could do no wrong, because he was the baby; [...]"
— 1932, Lorine Pruette, The Parent and the Happy Child, page 76: