magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt 

-nət

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

a railroad magnate

Synonyms of magnate

• tycoon
• baron
• king

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

His short stint on social media wasn't the only personal detail the AI magnate offered in the interview, but one gets the sense that these days, Affleck doesn't have that much to reveal. — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026

Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, an aging oil magnate whose drilling sets off an ecological disaster. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Sotheby’s will offer the collection of cable television magnate Ted Baum and his wife, interior designer Ruth Baum, with the whole estimated to total in excess of $100 million. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Earlier this year, 88-year-old property magnate David Reuben and his brother Simon made headlines after leaving London for the sunny shores of Monaco. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for magnate

• magnet
• electromagnet
• ferromagnet

Kids Definition

magnate

noun

mag·​nate ˈmag-ˌnāt 

-nət

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