mogul

1 of 2

noun (1)

mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl 

1

or less commonly moghul

ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl 

or mughal

ˈmü-(ˌ)gəl 

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 

: 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"; English speakers borrowed the word for other powerful persons, 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 is of Germanic origin and has nothing to do with Asian Mogul dynasties.

Examples of mogul in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The actress and lifestyle mogul, mom of four and wife to NBA star Stephen Curry has joined wine and food, family and fame, and high and low items for her various brands. —Anika Reed, USA TODAY, 21 Dec. 2024

What's New President-elect Donald Trump's team has dismissed criticism regarding the influence of billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk amid spending bill negotiations. —Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

The media mogul threw a surprise party for Gayle King’s 70th birthday, and she was dressed in one of my favorite holiday outfits: a glitzy gold jumpsuit. —Nicol Natale, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Several feminists wondered whether France is in a second wave of the #MeToo movement, which rippled through the film industry here after Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s takedown in 2017 but failed to land the same punch on a broader spectrum as in the United States and other countries. —Linda Hervieux, NBC News, 19 Dec. 2024

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

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Kids Definition

mogul

1 of 2 noun

mo·​gul ˈmō-(ˌ)gəl 

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 

: a bump on a ski slope

Etymology

Noun

Persian Mughul "mogul," from Mongolian mongγol "Mongol"

Noun

from German dialect