nabob

noun

na·bob ˈnā-ˌbäb How to pronounce nabob (audio)

: a provincial governor of the Mogul empire in India

: a person of great wealth or prominence

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In India's Mogul Empire, founded in the 16th century, provincial governors carried the Urdu title of nawāb. In 1612, Captain Robert Coverte published a report of his "discovery" of "the Great Mogoll, a prince not till now knowne to our English nation." The Captain informed the English-speaking world that "An earle is called a Nawbob," thereby introducing the English version of the word. Nabob, as it thereafter came to be spelled, gained its extended sense of "a prominent person" in the 18th century, when it was applied sarcastically to British officials of the East India Company returning home after amassing great wealth in Asia. The word was perhaps most famously used by Vice President Spiro Agnew, in a 1970 speech written by William Safire, when he referred to critical members of the news media as "nattering nabobs of negativism."

Example Sentences

dressed conservatively so as to make a good impression with the nabobs on the co-op's board

Recent Examples on the Web This doesn’t sound like a con artist or a relentlessly negative nabob.

Washington Post, 22 June 2021 Woody Allen, Elaine May and Larry David have all done it, turning these people into shouting caricatures, guilt givers and nabobs of neuroses.

Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 11 May 2020 All those nattering nabobs of negativism in the press were certainly guaranteed to give this speech the back of the hand, right?

Jamie Dupree, AJC.com, 31 Jan. 2018 If Tebow does not in fact disagree with Jeffress on any of these points, then his decision looks like nothing more than craven capitulation to the nattering nabobs of negativism and intolerance.

Robert Klemko, SI.com, 17 Aug. 2017 My, oh my, sounds like a nattering nabob of negativity.

Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 11 June 2017 The incessant nattering of the nabobs back there in coach.

Michael Calore, WIRED, 18 June 2012 See More

单词	nabob
释义	nabob noun na·bob ˈnā-ˌbäb 1 : a provincial governor of the Mogul empire in India 2 : a person of great wealth or prominence Did you know? In India's Mogul Empire, founded in the 16th century, provincial governors carried the Urdu title of nawāb. In 1612, Captain Robert Coverte published a report of his "discovery" of "the Great Mogoll, a prince not till now knowne to our English nation." The Captain informed the English-speaking world that "An earle is called a Nawbob," thereby introducing the English version of the word. Nabob, as it thereafter came to be spelled, gained its extended sense of "a prominent person" in the 18th century, when it was applied sarcastically to British officials of the East India Company returning home after amassing great wealth in Asia. The word was perhaps most famously used by Vice President Spiro Agnew, in a 1970 speech written by William Safire, when he referred to critical members of the news media as "nattering nabobs of negativism." Synonyms big big boy big cheese big gun big leaguer big shot big wheel big-timer bigfoot biggie bigwig fat cat heavy heavy hitter heavyweight high-muck-a-muck high-muckety-muck honcho kahuna kingfish kingpin major leaguer muckety-muck muck-a-muck mucky-muck nawab nibs nob [chiefly British] pooh-bah poo-bah wheel See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences dressed conservatively so as to make a good impression with the nabobs on the co-op's board Recent Examples on the Web This doesn’t sound like a con artist or a relentlessly negative nabob. Washington Post, 22 June 2021 Woody Allen, Elaine May and Larry David have all done it, turning these people into shouting caricatures, guilt givers and nabobs of neuroses. Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 11 May 2020 All those nattering nabobs of negativism in the press were certainly guaranteed to give this speech the back of the hand, right? Jamie Dupree, AJC.com, 31 Jan. 2018 If Tebow does not in fact disagree with Jeffress on any of these points, then his decision looks like nothing more than craven capitulation to the nattering nabobs of negativism and intolerance. Robert Klemko, SI.com, 17 Aug. 2017 My, oh my, sounds like a nattering nabob of negativity. Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 11 June 2017 The incessant nattering of the nabobs back there in coach. Michael Calore, WIRED, 18 June 2012 See More Word History Etymology Hindi navāb & Urdu nawāb, from Arabic nuwwāb, plural of nā'ib governor First Known Use 1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1 nabob noun as in heavyweight one of high position or importance within a group dressed conservatively so as to make a good impression with the nabobs on the co-op's board Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance heavyweight big heavy magnate nawab king tycoon bigwig baron queen lion prince honcho mucky-muck nob kingpin pooh-bah big shot big wheel princess czar big gun wheel kahuna nibs muckety-muck kingfish big leaguer heavy hitter big cheese major leaguer big boy mogul bigfoot fat cat muck-a-muck biggie high-muckety-muck poo-bah big-timer high-muck-a-muck tzar tsar VIP Antonyms & Near Antonyms nobody nothing nonentity shrimp subordinate zero twerp lightweight whippersnapper underling zilch obscurity mediocrity inferior See More
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nabob

noun

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Synonyms

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noun