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

Oprah Winfrey is many things—a source of wisdom, a business magnate, and a style icon. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 2 Oct. 2026

Kounalakis holds a master’s in business administration from UC Berkeley and is the daughter of Sacramento real estate magnate Angelo Tsakopolous. — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

For more than a decade, Paz, a former mining magnate, provided the funds to acquire artworks, commission large-scale projects, and build pavilions for individual artists. — Mercedes Ezquiaga, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Carnegie Mellon’s roots and alumni Dating back to the turn of the century, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie established the original school in 1900 as a technical college in Pittsburgh, where his company was based. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 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)