capitalist

American  

[kap-i-tl-ist] / ˈkæp ɪ tl ɪst /

noun

1. a person who has capital, especially extensive capital, invested in business enterprises.

2. an advocate of capitalism.

3. a very wealthy person.

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capitalist British  

/ ˈkæpɪtəlɪst /

noun

1. a person who owns capital, esp capital invested in a business

2. politics a supporter of capitalism

3. informal a rich person

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adjective

1. of or relating to capital, capitalists, or capitalism

Other Word Forms

• anticapitalist noun
• capitalistic adjective
• noncapitalist noun
• precapitalist noun
• procapitalist noun

Etymology

Origin of capitalist

First recorded in 1785–95; capital ¹ + -ist

Example Sentences

The vast list of subject-area experts Mercor seeks includes astronomers, psychologists, industrial engineers, filmmakers, creative writers, comedians, legal experts, investment bankers and venture capitalists.

From The Wall Street Journal

Venture capitalists are purchasing businesses in traditional sectors like healthcare, legal, and information technology and remaking them with artificial intelligence tools to lower costs.

From The Wall Street Journal

In an interview with the BBC's Big Boss Interview podcast, Beahon said: "We live in a capitalist society, if people couldn't afford it, those prices wouldn't be charged."

From BBC

It has always been interesting to me that a communist country could be so shrewd and create such effective strategies to exploit capitalist markets.

From MarketWatch

It’s that time again: Venture capitalists—never short on takes about where the market is headed—have predictions for the new year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• banker
• entrepreneur
• financier