Boss
English
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɒs/
Audio (UK): (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /bɔs/
- (cot–caught merger) IPA(key): /bɑs/
Audio (US, cot–caught merger): (file) - Rhymes: -ɒs, -ɔːs
Proper noun
Boss
- A surname.
Statistics
- According to the 2010 United States Census, Boss is the 4154th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 8529 individuals. Boss is most common among White (86.69%) individuals.
Anagrams
German
Alternative forms
- Boß (pre-1996)
Etymology
In the contemporary form (19th c.) chiefly from English boss, partly also from older northern German Baas (17th c.), both eventually from Dutch baas.
Pronunciation
Noun
Boss m (strong, genitive Bosses, plural Bosse)
- (usually informal or derogatory) boss (person in charge, supervisor)
- Synonyms: Chef, Vorgesetzter
- (video games) boss
- Synonym: Endgegner
Usage notes
- In common speech, Boss may be a fairly neutral synonym of Chef. In more formal contexts such neutral usage is sometimes met with in compounds, e.g. with the name of some company. For the most part, however, Boss has a negative overtone, either personal (despotism, haughtiness) or systemic (big business, predatory capitalism).
Declension
Declension of Boss [masculine, strong]
Derived terms
- (video games): Endboss, Zwischenboss