capitalist

1 of 2

noun

cap·​i·​tal·​ist ˈka-pə-tə-list 

ˈkap-tə-

1

: a person who has capital especially invested in business

industrial capitalists

broadly : a person of wealth : plutocrat

Charitable organizations often seek help from capitalists.

2

: a person who favors capitalism

capitalist

2 of 2

adjective

variants or capitalistic

ˌka-pə-tə-ˈli-stik 

ˌkap-tə-

1

: owning capital

the capitalist class

2

a

: practicing or advocating capitalism

capitalist nations

b

: marked by capitalism

capitalist period of history

capitalistically

ˌka-pə-tə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌkap-tə-

adverb

Synonyms of capitalist

Noun

• have
• plutocrat
• money
• magnate
• moneybags
• billionaire

Examples of capitalist in a Sentence

Noun

capitalists who lost everything in the '29 Crash

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist and co-founder of Palantir and PayPal, appeared in the Epstein files, with the latest release showing correspondence between and about the two. —Dylan Butts, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026

Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya has also long praised the game as a powerful teacher of judgement. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026

Adjective

The present world order is characterized by liberalism, democracy, and capitalism, not because this is good, right, or better; but because the most powerful nation in the world since 1945 has been a liberal democratic capitalist country. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026

They are basically left out of the American financial markets and the wealth-creating part of the capitalist system. —Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably borrowed from French capitaliste "person possessing capital," from capital capital entry 2 + -iste -ist entry 1

Adjective

capital entry 2 + -ist entry 2, after capitalist entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capitalist

• pre-capitalist

Kids Definition

capitalist

noun

cap·​i·​tal·​ist

ˈkap-ət-ᵊl-əst, 

ˈkap-tᵊl-

1

: a person who has capital and especially business capital

2

: a person who supports capitalism