mogul

1 of 2

noun (1)

mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl How to pronounce mogul (audio)
1
or less commonly moghul or mughal capitalized : 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 capitalized

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"), so it's no surprise that in English the word mogul came to denote a powerful person, 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 has nothing to do with Asian Mogul dynasties. We picked up the skier's mogul from German dialect, from a word that is probably related to the Viennese mugl, meaning "small hill."

Examples of mogul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The reality star and business mogul showed up for Balenciaga’s fall 2024 presentation in the label’s black lace gown, complete with an open back, floor-length train, and a big white tag still attached to the back. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 3 Mar. 2024 The singer and Fenty mogul performed at a lavish party that was part of a multi-day celebration for the soon-to-be newlyweds, who will officially tie the knot July 12 in Mumbai. Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2024 Business moguls from India including Gautam Adani, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Sunil Mittal and members of the Godrej Family are also expected to attend. Siladitya Ray, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Winfrey’s exit is a year earlier than expected, with the media mogul in 2019 signing an extension until 2025. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024 The media mogul is parting ways with WeightWatchers after joining in August 2015 and acquiring a 10% stake in the company Oprah Winfrey is parting ways with WeightWatchers after nearly a decade on the company’s board of directors. Vanessa Etienne, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 According to the graphic, 73-page lawsuit, Jones lived with the hip-hop mogul for months at a time while working on the album. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 27 Feb. 2024 Our conversation moved rapidly from topic to topic and mogul to mogul: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Marc Andreessen, Steve Jobs. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 26 Feb. 2024 The mogul spoke to The Hollywood Reporter shortly after. Lachlan Cartwright, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mogul.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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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Dictionary Entries Near mogul

Cite this Entry

“Mogul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mogul. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on mogul

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