Where does “overboss” come from?
overboss (English) comes from English boss, from Middle English bos, from Old French boce, from Vulgar Latin bottia, from Frankish bottija, from Frankish bōtan, from Proto-Germanic bautaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewd- — to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...
overboss (English): A boss of underbosses in a criminal organization
Definitions
- A boss of underbosses in a criminal organization
Ancestry of “overboss”, step by step
overboss traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English boss
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boss | A person who oversees and directs the work of... |
| 2 | Middle English | bos | — |
| 3 | Old French | boce | swelling |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | bottia | bump |
| 5 | Frankish | bottija | — |
| 6 | Frankish | bōtan | to strike, knock down |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | bautaną | to beat, push |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰewd- | to hit, strike; to beat, push; to strike, push,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰew- | to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to... |
via English over
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | over | Discontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;... |
| 2 | Middle English | over | riverbank, seashore, brink |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |