poobah

See also: poo-bah, poo bah, and Poo-Bah

English

WOTD – 15 June 2006

Alternative forms

pooh bah, pooh-bah, poo bah, poo-bah, Poo-Bah, Pooh-Bah

Etymology

From Pooh-Bah, a comic character in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta The Mikado (1885), formed as pooh +‎ bah, both expressing contempt. Libretto by W. S. Gilbert, preceded by character Pish-Tush-Pooh-Bah (described as “haughty”) in “King Borriah Bungalee Boo” (1866), one of the Bab Ballads, with pish and tush other terms of contempt.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpuːbɑː/
Audio (US) (file)
Audio (AU) (file)

Noun

poobah (plural poobahs)

A person who holds multiple offices or positions of power at the same time.
A leader or other important person.
A pompous, self-important person.

Derived terms

grand poobah