adjective
bodacious
boh-DAY-shuhs
Bodacious (adjective) means Informal, especially American Southern slang: bold and remarkable; impressively excellent. Example: “That was one bodacious performance.”
adjective
1
Informal, especially American Southern slang: bold and remarkable; impressively excellent.
"That was one bodacious performance."
2
Informal: very attractive.
"He kept talking about some bodacious car he wanted to buy."
"Bill Ward has always been known for drawing the biggest, bustiest, most bodacious babes to strut across a comic book or cartoon panel."
— auction catalogue, #810 HCA New York Comic and Comic Art (2004)
How to use bodacious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSlang for something impressively bold, great, or attractive.
When to use it
Very informal and somewhat dated — associated with 1980s-90s American slang.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more bodacious
- Superlative
- most bodacious
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
That was one _____ performance.
Etymology
American Southern slang from the 1800s, likely blending "bold" and "audacious."
Class of 1800
bodacious joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Related words
Rhymes for bodacious
See all rhymes for bodacious →Frequently asked questions
What does “bodacious” mean?
The word “bodacious” means informal, especially American Southern slang: bold and remarkable; impressively excellent. In plain terms, slang for something impressively bold, great, or attractive.
How do you pronounce “bodacious”?
“Bodacious” is pronounced boh-DAY-shuhs (/boʊˈdeɪʃəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “bodacious” in a sentence?
Here is “bodacious” used in a sentence: “That was one bodacious performance.”
What part of speech is “bodacious”?
“Bodacious” is an adjective.
Where does the word “bodacious” come from?
The word “bodacious” dates back to around 1800. American Southern slang from the 1800s, likely blending "bold" and "audacious.".
How many meanings does “bodacious” have?
“Bodacious” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal, especially American Southern slang: bold and remarkable; impressively excellent.
