Heads

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /hɛdz/

Definitions

1. The plural form of the upper part of the body containing the brain and face ; the side of a coin that shows a portrait or face ; a person in charge or leading a group or organization
2. More than one main part of the body above the neck ; the side of currency bearing a human likeness ; an individual who directs or commands in a position of authority
3. Multiple uppermost parts of a body including the face and brain ; the obverse face of a coin ; someone who leads or manages a team or institution

Etymology: "Heads" is the plural of "head," so the story really belongs to the singular. The key fact is that the word is used in one specific sense: "heads" is what you call the obverse of a coin, the side bearing the head of a ruler or figure. That sense is tied to the older practice of stamping a sovereign's likeness on coins, and it is the reason the heads-or-tails coin toss uses this plural form. The plural form itself is simple. The base word "head" is an Old English word, so the plural has been part of English for centuries, and the form did not need to be borrowed from anywhere.

Synonyms: leaders, chiefs, directors, managers

Antonyms: followers, subordinates