Bighead Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms bighead American [big-hed, -hed] / ˈbɪgˈhɛd, -ˌhɛd /

noun

1. Informal. an excessive estimate of one's importance; conceit.

2. Veterinary Pathology.

   1. an inflammatory swelling of the tissues of the head heads of sheep, caused by the anaerobic bacillus Clostridium novyi.

   2. enlargement of the head heads and jawbones of horses resulting from nutritional hyperthyroidism.

bighead British / ˈbɪɡˌhɛd /

noun

1. informal a conceited person

2. informal conceit; egotism

3. vet science

   1. an abnormal bulging or increase in the size of an animal's skull, as from osteomalacia

   2. any of various diseases of sheep characterized by swelling of the head, esp any caused by infection with Clostridium bacteria

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• bigheaded adjective
• bigheadedly adverb
• bigheadedness noun

Etymology

Origin of bighead

An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; big 1 + head

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Carp are voracious eaters — adult bigheads and silvers can consume up to 40% of their body weight in a day — and easily out-compete native species, wreaking havoc on aquatic ecosystems.

From Seattle Times

Four different species are considered invasive carp: bighead, black, grass and silver.

From Seattle Times

There are four types of invasive carp: bighead, silver, grass, and black.

From Salon

It’s an abbreviated wordplay on “copious” — a reference to the booming populations of bighead, silver, grass and black carp in the U.S. heartland.

From Seattle Times

Voracious and aggressive, silver and bighead gobble plankton that other fish need.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.