Synonyms of mogul
1
or less commonly moghul or mughal , Mogul : an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin
especially : great mogul
2
: a great personage : magnate
Hollywood moguls
industry moguls
mogul adjective
or less commonly moghul or mughal, often Mogul
: a bump in a ski run

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Started by Bābur, a descendant of Genghis Khan, the Muslim Mogul dynasty ruled much of India from the early 16th century to the mid-18th century. The Moguls (whose name is also spelled Moghul or Mughal) were known for their talented and powerful rulers, called "Great Moguls"; English speakers borrowed the word for other powerful persons, as in today's familiar references to "media moguls." Skiers might wonder if such power moguls have anything to do with the name they use for a bump in a ski run, but that hilly homonym is of Germanic origin and has nothing to do with Asian Mogul dynasties.

Examples of mogul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Though Wasserman hasn’t been charged with any crime, the exchanges took place before Maxwell had been charged with any wrongdoing, and the LA28 board backed Wasserman, the entertainment mogul sold his agency after several prominent artists fled. Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 24 July 2026 Most recently, that included the beauty mogul’s white button-down outfit that looks put together even on an especially hot day. Rachel Trujillo, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 Late media mogul Ted Turner used conservation easements to preserve ranch land, including nearly 114,000 acres south of Bozeman, Montana. Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 23 July 2026 David Ellison, the 43-year-old mogul who sits atop the Paramount Skydance media conglomerate, appeared to be on a glide path to expanding his empire. Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mogul

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Persian Mughul, from Mongolian mongγol Mongol

Noun (2)

German dialect; akin to German dialect (Viennese) mugl small hill

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mogul was in 1588

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Cite this Entry

“Mogul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mogul. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

mogul

1 of 2 noun
1
also moghul or mughal capitalized : an Indian Muslim of or descended from a family of Turkish and Mongolian origin that ruled India from the 16th to the 18th century
2
: an important person : magnate
mogul adjective often capitalized

mogul

2 of 2 noun
: a bump on a ski slope
Etymology

Noun

Persian Mughul "mogul," from Mongolian mongγol "Mongol"

Noun

from German dialect

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