noun
C2
Proficient
magnate
MAG-nayt
Magnate (noun) means a wealthy and powerful person in business or industry. Example: “The shipping magnate donated millions to the new hospital wing.”
noun
1
A wealthy and powerful person in business or industry.
"I have decided to become an oil magnate, after spending quite some time reading the dictionary definition of the word magnate."
"Sir Richard Branson is an English business magnate, best known as the founder of the multimillion-pound Virgin Group, which consists of more than four hundred companies."
— Rod Judkins, The Art of Creative Thinking (2015)
"With a suitable amount of life experience under her belt, she sat down and conjured up the sexiest, most delicious Italian wine magnate she could imagine, had him make his biggest mistake, and gave him a wife on the run."
— Jennifer Hayward, The Magnate's Manifesto (2014)
"The shipping magnate donated millions to the new hospital wing."
"She built her fortune to become a media magnate by her thirties."
How to use magnate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA powerful, wealthy figure at the top of an industry, like a "captain of industry."
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "magnet" (the object that attracts metal) — they sound alike but are unrelated.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
business magnate
media magnate
oil magnate
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Word forms
- Plural
- magnates
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The shipping _____ donated millions to the new hospital wing.
Etymology
From Late Latin magnātēs, plural of magnās, from magnus ("great").
Related words
Rhymes for magnate
See all rhymes for magnate →Frequently asked questions
What does “magnate” mean?
The word “magnate” means a wealthy and powerful person in business or industry. In plain terms, a powerful, wealthy figure at the top of an industry, like a "captain of industry.".
How do you pronounce “magnate”?
“Magnate” is pronounced MAG-nayt (/ˈmæɡneɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “magnate” in a sentence?
Here is “magnate” used in a sentence: “The shipping magnate donated millions to the new hospital wing.”
What part of speech is “magnate”?
“Magnate” is a noun.
Where does the word “magnate” come from?
The word “magnate” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin magnātēs, plural of magnās, from magnus ("great").
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