honcho
/ˈhɒn.tʃoʊ/
Japanese Origin
Business
Original Word
班長
Kanji (hanchō)
Entered English
1940s
First recorded usage in English
The Story Behind "honcho"
From Japanese 'hanchō' (班長), literally 'squad leader'. Adopted by US servicemen during the post-WWII occupation of Japan. Used informally to mean boss or leader.
Example Usage
"She's the head honcho of the marketing department."