Tycoons

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals who have achieved great wealth and power, particularly in business or industry; influential figures known for their ability to shape markets and economies; prominent entrepreneurs often associated with large-scale enterprises and significant financial success
2. Wealthy magnates or leaders in commerce, usually controlling substantial resources and assets; people whose decisions can impact entire sectors and industries; notable business individuals recognized for their significant contributions to economic growth
3. Powerful and affluent entrepreneurs, frequently at the helm of major companies; influential businesspersons whose actions can sway economic trends; individuals whose prominence often leads to considerable media interest and public attention

Etymology: Before it described railroad barons and industrial magnates, "tycoon" was a title for the shōgun, the military ruler of Japan. The Japanese word 大君 (taikun) meant "great lord" or "prince," and English borrowed it for the shōgun, the most powerful figure in the country at the time. Its meaning then travelled far from the Japanese court. The word is related to "taipan," a term for a foreign merchant or head of a trading house in China and Hong Kong. Both trace back to Cantonese 大班 (daai6 baan1), "big boss," so the two words share a root that means roughly the same thing: a person in charge of a large operation. English speakers picked up the sense of a powerful businessman from this idea of a great leader. "Tycoon" acquired its modern sense of a wealthy, powerful business figure in the nineteenth century. The plural form "tycoons" simply refers to several such people. In more recent times the word has also appeared in game titles such as RollerCoaster Tycoon, in which the player runs a business.

Synonyms: magnates, barons, moguls, entrepreneurs, capitalists