magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt How to pronounce magnate (audio)
-nət
: a person of rank, power, influence, or distinction often in a specified area
a railroad magnate

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
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.
Shuna later passed through the hands of film and shipping magnates before becoming the romantic escape of the Viscountess Selby and WWII Pathfinder Donald Wells. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 June 2025 The net worth of footwear magnate Zhang Congyuan, who was Taiwan’s richest person three years ago, shrank by $1.8 billion to $8.3 billion, registering the biggest decline in dollar terms. Jane Ho, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 The other involves keeping a magnate’s daughter from being kidnapped. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2025 Raiders may have avoided power centers and instead sought separate havens, while traders may have either deliberately visited or avoided power centers based on their relationships with local magnates. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for magnate

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of magnate was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Magnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

magnate

noun
mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt How to pronounce magnate (audio)
-nət
: a person of rank, power, or influence (as in an industry)

More from Merriam-Webster on magnate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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