adjective

boss

Very good or impressive.

The vintage poster calls the band's new record a boss sound.

Etymology

Dutch baas meant master, giving English boss its leadership sense. The approving adjective borrows that top-ranking status to describe something as especially good or impressive.

More examples

  • In that old comedy, the teenager calls his car boss.
  • The songwriter chose boss as a deliberately retro compliment.
  • Her grandfather remembered using boss to mean excellent.

Forms

boss

Similar words

excellent
The ordinary contemporary term, without the dated slang flavor.
great
Great is more widely used contemporary informal praise.