baas
|baas|
🇺🇸
/bæs/
🇬🇧
/bɑːs/
boss; sheep's bleat
Etymology
'baas' originates from Dutch and Afrikaans, specifically the Dutch/Middle Dutch word 'baes'/'baas', where it meant 'master' or 'boss'.
'baes' in Middle Dutch became modern Dutch 'baas' and was borrowed into English (primarily in the 18th–19th century) through colonial contacts, especially in southern Africa.
Initially it meant 'master' or 'boss' in Dutch; in English borrowing the basic meaning of 'boss' remained, but the word also acquired colonial and sometimes pejorative connotations in English usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a boss or master; especially used in South African or colonial contexts (often carries pejorative or colonial overtones in English).
The farm's baas demanded that all hands be working by dawn.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
the bleating sound made by a sheep; 'baas' can be the plural form of 'baa' or used to represent the sound itself.
All afternoon we could hear the baas of the lambs from the valley.
Synonyms
Verb 1
third-person singular present form of 'baa' — to make the bleating sound (e.g., a sheep baas).
Every morning the sheep baas loudly at the gate.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/22 18:00