fat cat

noun

Slang.

1. a wealthy person from whom large political campaign contributions are expected.

2. any wealthy person, especially one who has become rich quickly through questionable dealings.

3. an important, influential, or famous person.

4. a person who has become lazy or self-satisfied as the result of privilege or advantage.

fat cat

noun

1. slang

   1. a very wealthy or influential person

   2. ( as modifier )

      a fat-cat industrialist

Word History and Origins

Origin of fat cat¹

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

A wealthy and privileged person, as in This neighborhood, with its million-dollar estates, is full of fat cats. This term originally meant “a rich contributor to a political campaign,” and while this usage persists, it now is often applied more broadly, as in the example. [Colloquial; 1920s]