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View synonyms for bossy

bossy

1

[ baw-see, bos-ee ]

adjective

, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.
  1. given to ordering people about; overly authoritative; domineering.

    Synonyms: abrasive, overbearing, dictatorial, officious, high-handed



bossy

2

[ baw-see, bos-ee ]

adjective

, boss·i·er, boss·i·est.
  1. studded with knoblike or projecting parts.

bossy

3

[ bos-ee, baw-see ]

noun

, plural bos·sies.
  1. a familiar name for a cow or calf.

bossy

1

/ ˈbɒsɪ /

adjective

  1. informal.
    domineering, overbearing, or authoritarian
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


bossy

2

/ ˈbɒsɪ /

adjective

  1. (of furniture) ornamented with bosses
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈbossiness, noun
  • ˈbossily, adverb
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Other Words From

  • bossi·ly adverb
  • bossi·ness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bossy1

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; boss 1 + -y 1

Origin of bossy2

First recorded in 1535–45; boss 2 + -y 1

Origin of bossy3

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; boss 3 + -y 2
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Example Sentences

Granted, they had some hiccups in the eight weeks — she could be interpreted as “bossy” at times and he allowed himself to get in quite the mood when he felt embarrassed — they were all in and genuinely in love.

Women often are mischaracterized as over-opinionated or bossy, but Debbie saw my ideas as just that — as creativity, and as ideas, and as passion.

I realized just how bossy I am as a parent, when my daughter and I visited Hadzabe families in Tanzania.

From Time

Yet, if she leans the other way, conforming to more “masculine” traits, like toughness or assertiveness, she is likely to be seen as abrasive, bossy—or worse.

From Fortune

While Facebook COO and Lean In guru Sheryl Sandberg urged teachers to “ban bossy,” they embrace the label “boss” wholeheartedly.

And women have much bigger fish to fry than banning the word “bossy.”

I now see how loaded “bossy” is with gender biases and expectations.

By turns bossy, blustery, and self-deprecating, Frida insinuates herself into every aspect of the place.

Beautiful, brainy, and bossy—on the surface, Gu Kailai was a new breed of Politburo wife.

We are getting on very well, though I think Joanna is too bossy, and mammy is nearly as bad.

Mac stayed on guard at the fence while I took our potato pail and went over to make the acquaintance of Bossy.

Bossy attained considerable reputation, and ended his days with a fair competence.

If I was a little girl about your age, I never should get tired of looking at that speckled bossy out in the barn.

I almost wished she had to be fastened into the stall a while, just to see if she wouldn't get tired of that speckled bossy.

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