noun
honcho
HON-choh
Honcho (noun) means the person in charge; the boss. Example: “You'll need to run that decision past the head honcho first.”
noun
1
The person in charge; the boss.
"Says they had no choice. Says the NVA killed the old honcho when he said no. Now he says all the rice is theirs."
— Oliver Stone, Platoon (motion picture) (1986)
"Mostly he wrote what the higher honchos in the newsroom referred to, often condescendingly, as “offbeat” stories."
— Dave Barry, Big Trouble (1999)
"You'll need to run that decision past the head honcho first."
"Gulfstream makes jets for both Hollywood honchos and foreign governments like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia."
— Michael Moore, Stupid White Men (2001)
verb
1
To take charge of and run something.
"She honchoed the entire renovation project from start to finish."
How to use honcho
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishInformal word for the person leading or in charge of a group or project.
Common pairings
head honcho
honcho a project
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Word forms
- Plural
- honchos, honchoes
- Third person singular
- honchos
- Past tense
- honchoed
Fill the gap
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You'll need to run that decision past the head _____ first.
Etymology
From Japanese hanchō ("squad leader"), likely picked up by American soldiers during World War II.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for honcho
See all rhymes for honcho →Frequently asked questions
What does “honcho” mean?
The word “honcho” means the person in charge; the boss. In plain terms, informal word for the person leading or in charge of a group or project.
How do you pronounce “honcho”?
“Honcho” is pronounced HON-choh (/ˈhɑn.t͡ʃoʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “honcho” in a sentence?
Here is “honcho” used in a sentence: “You'll need to run that decision past the head honcho first.”
What part of speech is “honcho”?
Depending on how it is used, “honcho” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “honcho” come from?
The word “honcho” comes from Japanese. From Japanese hanchō ("squad leader"), likely picked up by American soldiers during World War II.
How many meanings does “honcho” have?
“Honcho” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the person in charge; the boss.
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