bossy

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒsi

Etymology 1

boss +‎ -y

Adjective

bossy (comparative bossier, superlative bossiest)

1. Tending to give orders to others, especially when unwarranted; domineering.

Synonyms

• dictatorial, authoritarian, commanding, tyrannical, demanding, inflexible
• see also Wikisaurus:bossy

Translations

tending to give orders to others

• Czech: panovačný (cs) m
• Manx: mainshtyragh (gv)
• Polish: rządzący się (pl) m

• Portuguese: mandão (pt) m
• Spanish: mandón (es)

Etymology 2

Diminutive of dialectal English boss, as used in the term boss-calf (which, like buss-calf, is a variant form of boose-calf, a calf kept in a boose (“stall”)).

Noun

bossy (plural bossies)

1. (US, informal, dated) A cow or calf.
   • about 1900, O. Henry, Hygeia at the Solito

     A week before, while riding the prairies, Raidler had come upon a sick and weakling calf deserted and bawling. Without dismounting he had reached and slung the distressed bossy across his saddle, and dropped it at the ranch for the boys to attend to.

Etymology 3

boss +‎ -y

Adjective

bossy (comparative more bossy, superlative most bossy)

1. Ornamented with bosses; studded.