Definition of HONCHO

honcho

Meanings

Plural: honchoes, honchos

Noun

  • a person who exercises control over workers
  • boss, leader

Verb

  • To lead or manage.

Origin / Etymology

From Japanese 班(はん)長(ちょう) (hanchō, “squad leader”), from 19th c. Mandarin 班長 /班长 (bānzhǎng, “team leader”). Probably entered English during World War II: many apocryphal stories describe American soldiers hearing Japanese prisoners-of-war refer to their lieutenants as hanchō.

Synonyms

boss, chief, foreman, gaffer

Scrabble Score: 14

honcho is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
honcho is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
honcho is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

honcho is a valid Words With Friends word