kingmaker

American  

[king-mey-ker] / ˈkɪŋˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person who has great power and influence in the choice of a ruler, candidate for public office, business leader, or the like.

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kingmaker British  

/ ˈkɪŋˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person who has control over appointments to positions of authority

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Other Word Forms

• kingmaking noun

Etymology

Origin of kingmaker

First recorded in 1590–1600; king + maker

Example Sentences

No longer will he be the king, much less the kingmaker — and he cannot stand the idea of being irrelevant.

From Salon

Guralnick’s new book is the story of an immigrant scrapper who became a kingmaker with his unerring instinct for the main chance.

From Los Angeles Times

It was just over five years ago here in South Carolina, that the then-79-year-old Clyburn, a Democratic kingmaker in the state, gave the then-77-year-old Joe Biden his highly coveted presidential endorsement.

From BBC

“I had always been a big Samuel Alito fan,” Leo told the New Yorker, and you can almost imagine the kingmaker saying it with a big wink.

From Salon

Ms Wagenknecht’s personal brand of “left-wing conservatism” has already propelled her party this month into the potential role of kingmaker in Saxony and Thuringia.

From BBC

Related Words

• fixer