English Explanatory Dictionary

honcho

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Boss, leader.
verb
  1. To lead or manage.

Pronunciation

/ˈhɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/ hŏnʹchō /ˈhɒn.tʃəʊ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-honcho.wav

Word forms

honcho honchos honchoes honchoing honchoed

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.

Derived words

head honcho
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