honcho

Definition

Boss, leader.

Etymology

From Japanese 班(はん)長(ちょう) (hanchō, “squad leader”), from 19th c. Mandarin 班長 /班长 (bānzhǎng, “team leader”). Probably entered English during World War II: many apocryphal stories describe American soldiers hearing Japanese prisoners-of-war refer to their lieutenants as hanchō.

Example Sentences

• "Says they had no choice. Says the NVA killed the old honcho when he said no. Now he says all the rice is theirs."
• "For years, snobbery has been a hallmark of this city of wealth and glamour, movie stars and entertainment honchos, where it is possible to spend $20,000 for a watch, $6,000 for a suit with 14-karat gold pinstriping or $15,000 for a handbag of rare leather."
• "Mostly he wrote what the higher honchos in the newsroom referred to, often condescendingly, as “offbeat” stories."