big daddy

noun, (often initial capital letters) Informal.
1.
a man regarded as the paternalistic head of a family.
2.
the founder or a leading member of a company, organization, movement, etc.:
the big daddy of soil conservation.
3.
the federal government:
to thank big daddy for the tax cut.
4.
Chiefly Southern U.S. grandfather.
Origin
1950-55
British Dictionary definitions for big daddy

big Chief

noun
1.
(informal) other terms for big White Chief
Slang definitions & phrases for big daddy

Big Daddy

noun phrase
  1. You there; man; big boy, mac •Term of address used to any man, usually with a view to flattering him (1940s+)
  2. daddy (1920s+ Jazz musicians)
  3. daddy-o (1940s+ Jazz musicians)

Idioms and Phrases with big daddy

big daddy

.
An influential man, a big shot (see under big cheese), as in You'll have to get permission from big daddy. [ ; mid-1900s ]
.
A male sweetheart or friend, often a man considerably older than his female companion; a sugar daddy [ ; mid-1900s ]
.
Grandfather. This usage originated in the South among African-Americans.
.
The largest or most important person or thing of its kind. For example, The United States has long been the big daddy of the Western Hemisphere, or The blue whale was the big daddy of the ocean. [ ; 1960s ]