nibs

noun

ˈnibz 

plural in form but singular in construction

: an important or self-important person

—usually used in the phrases his nibs or her nibs as if a title of honor

Synonyms

• big
• big boy
• big cheese
• big gun
• big leaguer
• big shot
• big wheel
• big-timer
• bigfoot
• biggie
• bigwig
• fat cat
• heavy
• heavy hitter
• heavyweight
• high-muck-a-muck
• high-muckety-muck
• honcho
• kahuna
• kingfish
• kingpin
• major leaguer
• muckety-muck
• muck-a-muck
• mucky-muck
• nabob
• nawab
• nob [chiefly British]
• pooh-bah
• poo-bah
• wheel

Examples of nibs in a Sentence

a staff appointment that must be approved by his nibs, the magazine's editor in chief

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

circa 1821, in the meaning defined above