noun an important, influential, or high-ranking person, especially one who is pompous or conceited.
Origin:
1855–60; < Chinook Jargon hayo makamak literally, plenty to eat, much food, perhaps extended derisively to Indians of high status with much disposable wealth, as for potlatches; hayo < Nootka ḥayo ten (the base of various measures with suffixes for specific countable nouns); mak(a)mak eat, food < Nootka ma·ḥo·ma(q-) part of whale meat between blubber and flesh