Nabob

Origin

In colloquial usage in English since 1612, from Urdu, from Persian, from the honorific plural of Arabic نائب (nā’ib, "deputy").

Full definition of nabob

Noun

1. An Indian ruler within the Mogul empire; a nawab.
2. (by extension) Someone of great wealth or importance.
• 2013-06-22, Engineers of a different kind, Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. Piling debt onto companies’ balance-sheets is only a small part of what leveraged buy-outs are about, they insist. Improving the workings of the businesses they take over is just as core to their calling, if not more so. Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster.
3. (by extension) A person with a grandiose style or manner.

Synonyms

Derived terms

• Nob Hill (San Francisco)