nabob

[ ney-bob ]

noun

1. any very wealthy, influential, or powerful person.
2. Also a person, especially a European, who has made a large fortune in India or another country of the East.
3. nawab ( def 1 ).

nabob

/ ˈneɪbɒbərɪ; neɪˈbɒbərɪ; ˈneɪbɒb /

noun

1. informal.
   a rich, powerful, or important man
2. (formerly) a European who made a fortune in the Orient, esp in India
3. another name for a nawab

Derived Forms

• ˈnabobish, adjective
• nabobery, noun

Other Words From

• na·bob·er·y [ney, -bob-, uh, -ree, ney-, bob, -, uh, -ree], nabob·ism noun
• nabob·ish na·bobi·cal adjective
• nabob·ish·ly nabob·i·cal·ly adverb
• nabob·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nabob¹

From the Hindi word nawāb, dating back to 1605–15. See nawab

Word History and Origins

Origin of nabob¹

C17: from Portuguese nababo, from Hindi nawwāb; see nawab