English word origin

Etymology of bossy

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

adj

Tending to give orders to others, especially when unwarranted; domineering.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰā- Proto-Germanic *bō-? Proto-Germanic *baswô Proto-West Germanic *baswō Old Dutch *baso Middle Dutch baes Dutch baasbor. English boss Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bossy From boss + -y.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss<id:leader>",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "id": "domineering",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰā-\nProto-Germanic *bō-?\nProto-Germanic *baswô\nProto-West Germanic *baswō\nOld Dutch *baso\nMiddle Dutch baes\nDutch baasbor.\nEnglish boss\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish bossy\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"boy\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"boy\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"redlink\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰā-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bō-\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*baswô\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*baswō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old Dutch\", \"term\" : \"*baso\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"odt\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle Dutch\", \"term\" : \"baes\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"dum\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Dutch\", \"term\" : \"baas\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"nl\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"boss\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjectival\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-kos\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-gaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-g\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"bossy\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"domineering\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"bossy\" id=\"English:_domineering\">\nFrom boss + -y."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss<id:leader>",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "id": "domineering",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰā-\nProto-Germanic *bō-?\nProto-Germanic *baswô\nProto-West Germanic *baswō\nOld Dutch *baso\nMiddle Dutch baes\nDutch baasbor.\nEnglish boss\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish bossy\nFrom boss + -y."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*bʰā-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰā-#Proto-Indo-European:_boy"
    ],
    [
      "*bō-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bō-#Proto-Germanic:_boy"
    ],
    [
      "*baswô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/baswô"
    ],
    [
      "*baswō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/baswō"
    ],
    [
      "*baso",
      "Reconstruction:Old Dutch/baso"
    ],
    [
      "baes",
      "baes#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "baas",
      "baas#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "boss",
      "boss#English:_leader"
    ],
    [
      "*-kos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-kos#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-gaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-gaz#Proto-Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-g",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-g#Proto-West_Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-iġ",
      "-ig#Old_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#Middle_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ],
    [
      "boss",
      "boss#English:_leader"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
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      "pos": "adj",
      "glosses": [
        "Tending to give orders to others, especially when unwarranted; domineering."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "e341555980a77f4b194058dd73d927212f24656d4887249612c315b85707c52e",
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Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A cow or calf.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Diminutive of dialectal English boss + -y, as used in the term boss-calf (which, like buss-calf, is a variant form of boose-calf, a calf kept in a boose (“stall”)).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Word-formation componentbossen
Word-formation component-yen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss",
        "4": "-y<id:diminutive>",
        "id": "cow"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-i\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"bossy\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"cow\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"bossy\" id=\"English:_cow\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "af",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "boss",
        "3": "-y",
        "id2": "diminutive"
      },
      "expansion": "boss + -y"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss",
        "4": "-y<id:diminutive>",
        "id": "cow"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "boss",
      "boss#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_diminutive"
    ],
    [
      "boss-calf",
      "boss-calf#English"
    ],
    [
      "buss-calf",
      "buss-calf#English"
    ],
    [
      "boose-calf",
      "boose-calf#English"
    ],
    [
      "boose",
      "boose#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A cow or calf."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "dated",
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "c9ac34e054f4b19e55d81d4858bf4859ba38cfba13aa6d25f3caca88c5a67358",
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Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

adj

Ornamented with bosses; studded.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.? Proto-Germanic *bautaną Proto-West Germanic *bautan Frankish *bottjabor. Vulgar Latin *bottia Old French bocebor. Middle English bos English boss Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English bossy From boss + -y.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss<id:protuberance>",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
        "id": "studded",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?\nProto-Germanic *bautaną\nProto-West Germanic *bautan\nFrankish *bottjabor.\nVulgar Latin *bottia\nOld French bocebor.\nMiddle English bos\nEnglish boss\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish bossy\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"beat\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"beat\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"?\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"redlink\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*bʰew-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bautaną\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*bautan\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Frankish\", \"term\" : \"*bottja\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"frk\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Vulgar Latin\", \"term\" : \"*bottia\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"la-vul\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old French\", \"term\" : \"boce\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"fro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"bos\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"boss\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"adjectival\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"adjectives\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-kos\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-gaz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-g\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-iġ\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-y\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"bossy\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"studded\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"bossy\" id=\"English:_studded\">\nFrom boss + -y."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
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        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "boss<id:protuberance>",
        "4": "-y<id:adjectival>",
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        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *bʰew-der.?\nProto-Germanic *bautaną\nProto-West Germanic *bautan\nFrankish *bottjabor.\nVulgar Latin *bottia\nOld French bocebor.\nMiddle English bos\nEnglish boss\nProto-Indo-European *-kos\nProto-Germanic *-gaz\nProto-West Germanic *-g\nOld English -iġ\nMiddle English -y\nEnglish -y\nEnglish bossy\nFrom boss + -y."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*bʰew-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/bʰew-#Proto-Indo-European:_?"
    ],
    [
      "*bautaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/bautaną#Proto-Germanic:_beat"
    ],
    [
      "*bautan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/bautan#Proto-West_Germanic:_beat"
    ],
    [
      "*bottja",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/bottja"
    ],
    [
      "*bottia",
      "Reconstruction:Latin/bottia"
    ],
    [
      "boce",
      "boce#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "bos",
      "bos#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "boss",
      "boss#English:_protuberance"
    ],
    [
      "*-kos",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-kos#Proto-Indo-European:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-gaz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-gaz#Proto-Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "*-g",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-g#Proto-West_Germanic:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-iġ",
      "-ig#Old_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#Middle_English:_adjectives"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ],
    [
      "boss",
      "boss#English:_protuberance"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English:_adjectival"
    ]
  ],
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  "descendants": [],
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      "pos": "adj",
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        "Ornamented with bosses; studded."
      ],
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Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for bossy →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-Ym9zc3k