big dog

noun

informal
: a notably prominent, important, or powerful person, organization, etc. : big gun
Moeller is the defending state champs, so they're the big dog until you knock them off.—Rick Wilson, Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Apr. 2013
As I sat in front of my computer, … the big dogs in the newsroom came up to me, one by one, offering nuggets of diehard conservative newsroom wisdom and congratulations.—Brooke Parkhurst, Belle in the Big Apple: A Novel with Recipes, 2009

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big dog was in 1833

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Dictionary Entries Near big dog

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big dog

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Cite this Entry

“Big dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20dog. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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