Where does “underboss” come from?
underboss (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...
underboss (English): An assistant to the boss of a crime family
Definitions
- An assistant to the boss of a crime family
Ancestry of “underboss”, step by step
underboss 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... |