noun
taipan
TEYE-pan
Taipan (noun) means a foreign business executive or tycoon, especially historically in China. Example: “The old taipan ran his trading firm from a Hong Kong office overlooking the harbor.”
noun
1
A foreign business executive or tycoon, especially historically in China.
"Of course it was very sad, but the taipan could hardly help a smile when he thought how many of these young fellows he had drunk underground."
— W. Somerset Maugham, The Taipan (1922)
"The British taipans stood in one sodden circle with their womenfolk, like bored officers at a garrison get-together."
— John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy (1977)
"The old taipan ran his trading firm from a Hong Kong office overlooking the harbor."
2
Any of several highly venomous Australian snakes of the genus Oxyuranus.
"The inland taipan is considered the most venomous snake in the world."
How to use taipan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a powerful foreign businessman in old China, or a dangerous species of Australian snake — context makes it obvious which.
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Word forms
- Plural
- taipans
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The old _____ ran his trading firm from a Hong Kong office overlooking the harbor.
Etymology
From Cantonese 大班 (daai⁶ baan¹, "big shot, head of a firm"), related to the word tycoon.
Rhymes for taipan
See all rhymes for taipan →Frequently asked questions
What does “taipan” mean?
The word “taipan” means a foreign business executive or tycoon, especially historically in China. In plain terms, either a powerful foreign businessman in old China, or a dangerous species of Australian snake — context makes it obvious which.
How do you pronounce “taipan”?
“Taipan” is pronounced TEYE-pan (/ˈtaɪpæn/ in IPA).
How do you use “taipan” in a sentence?
Here is “taipan” used in a sentence: “The old taipan ran his trading firm from a Hong Kong office overlooking the harbor.”
What part of speech is “taipan”?
“Taipan” is a noun.
Where does the word “taipan” come from?
The word “taipan” comes from Cantonese. From Cantonese 大班 (daai⁶ baan¹, "big shot, head of a firm"), related to the word tycoon.
How many meanings does “taipan” have?
“Taipan” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a foreign business executive or tycoon, especially historically in China.
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