# big kahuna

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/big-kahuna
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A boss, leader, chieftain, or top-ranking person in an organization.

## Examples

- You need to talk to the big kahuna about that request.
- If you want to change the company policy, you should schedule a meeting with the big kahuna.
- After the merger, the new big kahuna arrived with a reputation for making drastic changes to the organizational structure.

## Origin

Borrowed from Hawaiian word kahuna (“a shaman or wizard”).

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.