magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt 

-nət

: a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area

a railroad magnate

Synonyms

• baron
• captain
• czar
• tsar
• tzar
• king
• lion
• lord
• mogul
• monarch
• Napoleon
• prince
• tycoon

Examples of magnate in a Sentence

a studio magnate who had the biggest stars in Hollywood at his beck and call

Recent Examples on the Web

Looming over France’s media politics is Vincent Bolloré, a Catholic construction tycoon who has become France’s most powerful media magnate, the local equivalent of Rupert Murdoch. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 July 2024

Steered by billionaire cable magnate John C. Malone, Liberty bought F1 from CVC Capital Partners in a deal announced in 2016. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 23 June 2024

Instead, the Palladian villa sits in Greenwich, and houses an impressive collection of art and decorative objects amassed by the 19th-century diamond magnate Julius Wernher. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 18 June 2024

Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart, has reportedly called for the National Gallery of Australia to remove her portrait from display. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 17 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English magnates, plural, from Late Latin, from Latin magnus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt 

-nət

: a person of rank, power, or influence (as in an industry)