Your boss is someone you hate or love. Maybe you love them for their leadership, understanding, and wits. Maybe you hate them for their lack of boundaries, ineptitude, and overall “bossiness.” This love-hate relationship we tend to have with most bosses has lead to multiple slang words which we use to humorously (or spitefully) refer to them. Enjoy reading!
Slang Words for Boss (in Alphabetical Order)
Alpha
Meaning:
- (Noun) The first letter of the Greek Alphabet and it often used to denote the head, the boss, or the chief of a group.
- Example: Danny is the alpha around here. We do what he tells us without question.
Big Cheese
Meaning:
- (Noun) A North American slang for an important person, usually the boss or leader.
- Example: I was promoted to the big cheese position because of the allegations against Jane.
Big Kahuna
Meaning:
- (Noun) A Hawaian term meaning priest or expert. Often used in North America regions to refer to a boss.
- Example: The big kahuna did not resist the order of the board of directors because he knew he had no power against them.
Big Wig
Meaning:
- (Noun) An important person or boss that is in the highest position within the organization. The term comes from the tradition in which people of nobility or immense social status wore white wigs.
- Example: The big wigs at the company are starting sweat because of the decline of stock prices.
Captain Of The Boat
Meaning:
- (Noun) The head of the team. It is often used for modern company divisions or segments.
- Example: Who is the captain of the boat? They are doing an excellent job pursuing the goals of the company.
Gaffer
Meaning:
- (Noun) A British slang for boss or chief.
- Example: The gaffer had to retire due to the accident last month. He will be choosing the successor next week.
Governor
Meaning:
- (Noun) An old slang for boss that comes from the high political position inside the government.
- Example: Our governor at the department was really high-strung because of the upcoming evaluations.
Head Honcho
Meaning:
- (Noun) A US slang to describe someone with the most authority.
- Example: Who is the head honcho here? I’d like to report a misconduct from one of their employees
Kingpin
Meaning:
- (Noun) The primary boss or point-person in a group. Typically used in the context of organized crime/gangs.
- Example: The kingpin was caught and subsequently detained. He was ratted out by his disgruntled former attorney.
Mister Big
Meaning:
- (Noun) A criminology term or slang for the high ranking member of a crime syndicate or gang.
- Example: Al capone was the mister big of the mafia during the 40s or 50s
Numero Uno
Meaning:
- (Noun) Directly translates to “number one.” This implies that a person is “alpha” or the boss.
- Example: Jake should have been numero uno instead of me. He is better at this than I am.
Padrone
Meaning:
- (Noun) An exploitative boss, usually they exploit migrant workers.
- Example: My dad was secretly hired by a Padrone in the US. We only new about his hardships later on.
Pitch And Toss
Meaning:
- (Noun) The Cockney Rhyming slang for boss
- Example: My pitch and toss was very incompetent. He only got the position because he was the cousin of the owner.
Skipper
Meaning:
- (Noun) A slang used for a boss. Generally, “skipper” is used for captains or heads of fishing vessels or aircrafts.
- Example: The skipper was able to maneuver the plane into landing without the proper gear.
Top Dog
Meaning:
- (Noun) An urban slang used for the leader or boss of a group or area.
- Example: Peter was top dog of the school until he got kicked off from the football team. He was very much in distraught until Becky helped him.
