king pin
Top criminal honcho
Kingpin refers to the central or most important element in a system.
Originally the front pin in bowling or the main bolt connecting a vehicle's axle to its steering mechanism.
The word now primarily means the leader of a criminal organization: a drug kingpin, the kingpin of the smuggling operation.
Usually spelled as one word.
- bossWorkplace superior
- crime bossLeader of criminal organization
- crime lordLeader of organized criminals
- mafiaCriminal organization using intimidation
- drug cartelCriminal narcotics distribution organization
organized crime · cartel · drug lord · shot caller · ringleader · mob · godfather · underworld · smuggler · trafficking · empire · territory · syndicate · racket · bolt · axle · fifth wheel · bowling
- classic car partscarburetor, distributor, spark plug, spark plugs, radiator
- train bogiesbogies, trucks, wheelsets, wheels, axles
- train partsbogie, truck, trucks, wheel, wheelset
- steeringsteering wheel, steering column, steering rack, rack and pinion, power steering
king pinunderling
Person of lower rank
minion · henchman · lackey · subordinate · foot soldier
king pinsmall fry
Children or insignificant people
nobody · small-timer · powerless · bit player · lightweight
king, pin, kings, kingly, kingship, kinghood, kinglike, kingless, kingdom