magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt How to pronounce magnate (audio)
-nət
Synonyms of magnatenext
: 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.
Schitt’s Creek follows rich video-store magnate Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy), his soap-star wife Moira (O’Hara), and their two kids, son David (Dan Levy) and socialite daughter Alexis (Annie Murphy). Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026 The announcement comes nearly a decade after news broke of business magnate David Geffen’s record-high $150-million donation toward the construction of a new museum building to be designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Peter Zumthor. Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026 Conrad Hilton, the hotel magnate, opened hotels around the country, and his Turkish Hiltons gained a reputation for offering the best burgers and American architecture to upper-middle-class Turks. Kaya Genç, The Dial, 3 Feb. 2026 In its sophomore season, Cross is in pursuit of a ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaire magnates. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026 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 12 Feb. 2026.

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)

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