Tycoon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /taɪˈkuːn/

Definitions

1. A wealthy individual who has significant authority and influence in a particular sector of business
2. An influential figure who has achieved considerable financial success and plays a crucial role in their industry
3. A powerful person in business who has amassed great wealth and holds significant sway within a specific market sector

Etymology: In the 1850s, Americans borrowed a Japanese title to describe their new industrial magnates. The Japanese "taikun" (written 大君) meant "great lord" or "prince," and it was the title used for the shōgun, the military ruler of Japan. When American diplomats and traders dealt with the shōgunate, the word was used for that ruler, and it was soon applied in English to the powerful men who ran railroads, steel mills and banks. The word is connected to "taipan," the term for a foreign merchant boss in China, which comes from Cantonese 大班 ("daai6 baan1," meaning "big boss"). Both words passed into English through the trading ports of East Asia, and both describe a figure of great commercial authority. Much later, the word took on a playful life of its own. Business simulation games with titles like RollerCoaster Tycoon, in which the player runs a company or park, gave the word a second sense, and the game titles are the source of that usage.

Synonyms: magnate, baron, entrepreneur, executive, leader

Antonyms: employee, worker, follower, servant, underling