English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
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.
"You'll need to run that decision past the head honcho first."
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 notes

In plain EnglishInformal word for the person leading or in charge of a group or project.

Common pairings
head honcho honcho a project

Word forms

honchoed past tense, honchos plural, honchoes plural, honchos singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “honcho” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

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.

Origin: Japanese

Related words

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.

Featured in

People also searched

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial