big daddy

noun

, (often initial capital letters)

1. a man regarded as the paternalistic head of a family.
2. the founder or a leading member of a company, organization, movement, etc.:

   the big daddy of soil conservation.

3. the federal government:

   to thank big daddy for the tax cut.

4. Chiefly Southern U.S. grandfather.

Word History and Origins

Origin of big daddy¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

But this Big Daddy posturing was his central theme.

From Slate

From Tim Dillon, Louis CK, Jimmy Carr and Whitney Cummings to Quentin Tarantino, Big Daddy Kane, Double Soul Shaman, ICP and most recently the Black Keys, the gamut of “YMH” participants has long given viewers another reason to tune in.

From Los Angeles Times

The womenfolk are depressed but Big Daddy Trump is going to fix all that and they'll be so happy they won't even think about abortion.

From Salon

Written by Tennessee Williams in 1955, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof tells the story of a family who have come together to celebrate the birthday of the patriarch, Big Daddy.

From BBC

For them, Trump’s abortion answers must feel like soothing reminders that Big Daddy knows all the things and that Viktor Orbán has his back, if there’s any remaining doubt.

From Slate