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

Big Daddy, KICK-ASS Damon Macready (Nicolas Cage)—or “Big Daddy”—is a former NYPD detective turned vigilante hero.

From The Daily Beast

In Britain, World of Sport viewers saw the red-trunked “Red Ivan” get “body-splashed” by crowd favorite Big Daddy.

From The Daily Beast

The film is stripped of some of the dark plot turns, leaving Big Daddy as a straight crusader that everyone reveres.

From The Daily Beast

Big Daddy Kane: This project has been three years in the making.

From The Daily Beast

Madonna was saying to them “That's Big Daddy Kane, one of the greatest rappers in the world.”

From The Daily Beast

His father, Big Daddy, in his rough, profane way was greatly concerned about his son.

From Project Gutenberg

Nothing that Brock could say to his father was sufficient to cause Big Daddy to turn away.

From Project Gutenberg