balebos means master of the house, head of the household, host. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
balebos is pronounced /bɑːləˈbʌs/.
Why “balebos” is a great word
BALEBOS — [Noun] The master of a household, its responsible steward and practical authority, particularly within a Jewish domestic sphere. From Yiddish בעל־הבית (balebos), from Hebrew בַּעַל הַבַּיִת (bá'al habáyit, "master of the house"). First attested in English circa 1918. Unlike "landlord," which denotes a commercial lessor, or "patriarch," which implies inherited, male dominion, a *balebos* earns a title of concrete responsibility through the daily work of provision and care. It is the jangle of keys on a well-worn ring, the quiet survey of a swept stoop and stocked larder, and the presiding calm at the head of a crowded holiday table—a humble sovereignty measured in order kept and peace maintained within one's own walls.
noun
- Master of the house, head of the household, host.
- House owner, homeowner.
- Boss, person in charge (of anything).
- Important man, bourgeoisie.“An annual custom that lasted for many years involved a celebration of the eight days of Chanukah for all of the balebatim. Every evening was hosted by a different balebos and there was a lavish feast.”
- Layman, congregant, non-clergy.“The rabbi, whom I met and then overheard at a kiddush after shul, was going over his sermon with some of the balebatim, […].”