Dictionary

poobah en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈpuːbɑː/
• (US) audio

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. A person who holds multiple offices or positions of power at the same time.
2. A leader or other important person.
   • ‘I said pooh-pooh,’ Duxmann Pooh Bah said. 1982, Paul Radley, My Blue-Checker Corker and Me, Sydney: Fontana/Collins, page 112:
3. A pompous, self-important person.

Forms

Deriveds

grand poobah

Relateds

dual mandate · tycoon · nabob

wikipedia: The Mikado · wikipedia: Bab Ballads · wikipedia: W. S. Gilbert