ENGLISH
REFERENCE

top banana

idiom
Meaning

The boss, the leader.


Examples
SIMPLE

He is the top banana at this company.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of hard work, she finally became the top banana in the marketing department.

COMPLEX

The new director arrived with a reputation for efficiency, quickly asserting his authority as the undisputed top banana of the organization.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    banana nose

    A large, unusually long nose.

  2. 02

    banana republic

    A small country, especially one in Central America or the West Indies, that is dependent on a single export commodity (traditionally bananas) and that has a corrupt, dictatorial government.

  3. 03

    cherry on top

    Synonym of icing on the cake (“a thing which intensifies the appreciation of something already good, or (ironic) the regretting of something already bad”).

  4. 04

    have one foot on a banana peel

    To be in an unstable situation with a high risk of sudden negative change, facing difficulty, or appearing foolish.

  5. 05

    make like a banana and split

    To leave, depart.

  6. 06

    on top

    In a dominant position.

  7. 07

    over the top

    Beyond normal, expected, or reasonable limits; outrageous.

  8. 08

    put the bottom rail on top

    To reverse a hierarchy.

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