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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."

How to use bodacious

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSlang for something impressively bold, great, or attractive.

When to use it

Very informal and somewhat dated — associated with 1980s-90s American slang.

Word forms

more bodacious comparative, more bodacious comparative, most bodacious superlative, most bodacious superlative

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That was one _____ performance.

Etymology

American Southern slang from the 1800s, likely blending "bold" and "audacious."

· First attested 1800

Class of 1800 bodacious joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →

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.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial