tycoon
Americannoun
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tycoons
plural
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a person of great wealth, influence, or power; magnate.
a business tycoon; a political tycoon.
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(often initial capital letter) a title used with reference to the shogun of Japan.
noun
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a business man of great wealth and power
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an archaic name for a shogun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tycoon
1855–60; < Japanese taikun < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese dà great + jūn prince
Explanation
If you are meeting with someone who is considered a tycoon in his industry, keep in mind that he is very successful and probably accustomed to high-stakes negotiations. Tycoon is derived from the Japanese word taikun, which means “great lord or prince.” This noun made its way to the West in the mid-19th century and originally referred to the shogun, or military leader, of Japan. It was also used in reference to Abraham Lincoln to indicate that he was an important man. Now, tycoons are generally understood to be unusually successful heads of business or industry.
Vocabulary lists containing tycoon
Outliers
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This Week In Words: August 30–September 4, 2020
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As he speaks, multiple Starlink devices -- part of the constellation of thousands of internet satellites launched by US tycoon Elon Musk's SpaceX -- float by on the control room screens.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Crypto tycoon Justin Sun boasted of having invested $75 million with a Trump-linked crypto firm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Owned by elusive tycoon Ga-Hyun Chung, Sinokor bought dozens of tankers late last year with funding from the billionaire co-founder of container giant Mediterranean Shipping Co.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The Reform UK leader was due to be interviewed by "parliament's standards watchdog in the next fortnight over £5m gift from crypto tycoon", the paper reports, but the ongoing investigation has now been suspended.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
Claudia thought that old Jamie would end up being a business tycoon someday.
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
Here are a couple of rules for anyone thinking of investing in cryptocurrencies, courtesy of one of the biggest crypto tycoons on the planet:
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
And apart from Chen Zhi, none of the tycoons accused of hosting the compounds behind their casinos has yet been touched.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2026
A former top tech regulator at the commission, Breton often clashed with tech tycoons including Musk over their obligations to follow EU rules.
From Barron's ● Feb. 20, 2026
While American energy majors hesitate about going back to Venezuela, oil traders and tanker tycoons are diving in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 17, 2026
He offered his pilots what everyone from hockey players to software tycoons to takeover lawyers has been offered on the way to success: an opportunity to transform their relationship to their work.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
