English

edit

Etymology

edit

under- +‎ boss, calque of the Italian sotto capo[1]

Noun

edit

underboss (plural underbosses)

  1. An assistant to the boss of a crime family
    • 1965 January 6, Peter Kihss, “1,500 in 5 Crime 'Families' Identified”, in New York Times[2]:
      An alleged "underboss" of the Bonanno family, Carmine Galante, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison []

References

edit
  1. ^ “An Underworld Glossary”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)[1], 1963 September 28, retrieved 2008-12-20