mogul

1 of 2

noun (1)

mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
Synonyms of mogulnext
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

mogul

2 of 2

noun (2)

mo·​gul ˈmō-gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
: a bump in a ski run

Did you know?

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
Famed Chicago restaurateurs Phil Stefani and Art Smith, former private chef to media mogul Oprah Winfrey, plan to develop and lead the site’s first restaurant. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2026 Without the American media mogul’s vision for CNN, there would be no 24-hour news cycle (love it or loathe it) and the cable business wouldn’t have become a force. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 May 2026 All Elite Wrestling's double episode began with a salute to Ted Turner, the billionaire media mogul who started TBS and TNT, after his death. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026 Remembrance Atlanta media icon leaves massive legacy Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves, founder of CNN, philanthropist and media mogul who changed the news landscape in America, has died at the age of 87. Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 7 May 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 9 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

mogul

1 of 2 noun
mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
mō-ˈgəl
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
mo·​gul ˈmō-gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
: a bump on a ski slope
Etymology

Noun

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

Noun

from German dialect

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