big name: Meaning and Definition of

big' name'

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. a person who has a preeminent public reputation in a specified field: He's a big name in education.

big-name

Pronunciation: (big'nām"), [key]
— adj.
  1. having a widespread public reputation as a leader in a specified field; famous: a big-name doctor; a big-name actress.
  2. of, pertaining to, or composed of a big-name person or persons.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.