mogul

1 of 2

noun (1)

mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
1
or less commonly moghul or mughal capitalized : an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin
especially : great mogul
2
: a great personage : magnate
Hollywood moguls
industry moguls
mogul adjective
or less commonly moghul or mughal
often capitalized

mogul

2 of 2

noun (2)

mo·​gul ˈmō-gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
: a bump in a ski run

Did you know?

Started by Bābur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, the Muslim Mogul dynasty ruled much of India from the early 16th century to the mid-18th century. The Moguls (whose name is also spelled Moghul or Mughal) were known for their talented and powerful rulers, called "Great Moguls"; English speakers borrowed the word for other powerful persons, as in today's familiar references to "media moguls." Skiers might wonder if such power moguls have anything to do with the name they use for a bump in a ski run, but that hilly homonym is of Germanic origin and has nothing to do with Asian Mogul dynasties.

Examples of mogul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Upon returning to the United States, Zwick was accepted into the American Film Institute’s (AFI) program for would-be filmmakers, plus Allen connected him to the well-to-do daughter of a Bel-Air ad mogul. John Tamny, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 As chatter around Thugger’s high-profile RICO case intensifies following his release from prison, the G-Unit mogul posted a cryptic but telling message to Instagram that many believe was a direct response to the situation. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2025 The soon-to-be pool destination was formerly Ox Ledge, a mansion caddy-cornered with Stewart’s Seal Harbor, Maine estate that the mogul bought in 2015 and tore down in 2021, per local news outlet Mount Desert Islander. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025 His entire identity is woven into its hallways and kitchens, and the news that an Argentine mogul — played with ironic detachment by Solnicki himself — intends to purchase the hotel and demolish it to make way for a new architectural venture is treated as nothing less than an existential threat. Leila Latif, IndieWire, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mogul

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Persian Mughul, from Mongolian mongγol Mongol

Noun (2)

German dialect; akin to German dialect (Viennese) mugl small hill

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mogul was in 1588

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Cite this Entry

“Mogul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mogul. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

mogul

1 of 2 noun
mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
mō-ˈgəl
1
also moghul or mughal capitalized : an Indian Muslim of or descended from a family of Turkish and Mongolian origin that ruled India from the 16th to the 18th century
2
: an important person : magnate
mogul adjective often capitalized

mogul

2 of 2 noun
mo·​gul ˈmō-gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
: a bump on a ski slope
Etymology

Noun

Persian Mughul "mogul," from Mongolian mongγol "Mongol"

Noun

from German dialect

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