A powerful person. With plural agreement: those people who are powerful. rare.

A strong, powerful, or important person. In quot. 1839: a huge animal. Now chiefly in plural.

A person who has power over others; a superior, a potentate.

A mighty or powerful person; power, strength.

A monarch, prince, ruler, esp. an autocratic one. Also: a powerful or influential person; a magnate.

A powerful person; a potentate. Obsolete.

figurative. A man of vast and formidable power or enormous wealth.

A title or position implying greatness of power or rank. Also: an eminent or powerful person Obsolete.

A dominating man; the man who exercises effective control of an organization; spec. a leader who exercises absolute political power, esp. one who…

An Indian potentate; often used as a title of respect.

A leading or paramount power; a dominant state or person.

Originally and chiefly U.S. A powerful, influential, or wealthy person; esp. a magnate in a specified industry. Cf. baron, n. 2b, king, n. 4.

In extended use: a landowning, privileged, or politically powerful Russian.

Applied gen. to a person having power or influence in any sphere; in Prison slang: see quot. 1950.

More generally: a person whose authority overreaches the authority of others; (British Politics) a minister with authority over departmental…

figurative. A dogmatic leader; an influential or powerful person.