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.
But the character is more of a riff on the real-life oil baron Calouste Gulbenkian, the world’s richest man at the time of his death in 1955 and a template for today’s globe-roaming magnates who pledge allegiance only to their own ambitions. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 The brand is a jewel in the crown of luxury magnate Bernard Arnault, the founder of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, who has owned Dior since 1984. Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 29 May 2025 Ramaphosa brought his own White billionaire to the meeting – luxury goods magnate Johan Rupert, who’s behind brands like Cartier – who told Trump that violent crime affects all races, but his words fell on deaf ears. Larry Madowo, CNN Money, 22 May 2025 Once the private estate of a wealthy gold mine magnate, this 654-acre property now functions as a living time capsule of flowery opulence. David Hochman, Forbes.com, 20 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 4 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

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