kingpin
|king/pin|
/ˈkɪŋpɪn/
central pivot; chief person
Etymology
'kingpin' is a compound of English 'king' + 'pin'; the word in its modern sense ('chief person' or 'principal pin') formed from these elements in English.
'kingpin' originally referred to the principal pin or pivot in machinery and in games with pins (older senses found in mechanical and skittles/bowling contexts) and later developed the figurative sense 'principal person' or 'leader' in modern English.
Initially it meant 'the main pin or pivot,' but over time it evolved to include the figurative meaning 'the most important person or leader' (especially of an organization).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or thing that is the most important member or part of an organization, system, or activity; the principal leader or central figure (often used of the leader of a criminal organization).
The police arrested the kingpin of the drug ring.
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Noun 2
the main pin or pivot in machinery or in a vehicle's steering mechanism; the principal pin on which other parts turn or depend.
Replace the worn kingpin in the trailer's steering assembly.
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Last updated: 2026/01/07 23:43