kahuna

noun

ka·​hu·​na kə-ˈhü-nə How to pronounce kahuna (audio)
Synonyms of kahunanext
1
: a preeminent person or thing : big gun
… the industry's big kahuna, with … 57 percent of the market …—Andrew E. Serwer
2
: a Hawaiian shaman

Synonyms of kahuna

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Examples of kahuna in a Sentence

a big kahuna at a Hollywood talent agency, he's got the fancy car to prove it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then White caught the big kahuna. — Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026 The China tariff deal—not yet done—is the big kahuna in all of this. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2025 This has to be a big kahuna, among records Swift could break that go back to the very beginning of the album chart. — Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2024 The second is whether Neymar himself is willing to be just one of the troops rather than the big kahuna. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for kahuna

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of kahuna was in 1875

Rhymes for kahuna

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Browse Nearby Words

kahu
kahuna
kahuna anaana
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Cite this Entry

“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kahuna. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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