capitalist

1 of 2

noun

cap·​i·​tal·​ist ˈka-pə-tə-list 

ˈkap-tə-

1

: a person who has capital especially invested in business

industrial capitalists

broadly : a person of wealth : plutocrat

Charitable organizations often seek help from capitalists.

2

: a person who favors capitalism

capitalist

2 of 2

adjective

variants or capitalistic

ˌka-pə-tə-ˈli-stik 

ˌkap-tə-

1

: owning capital

the capitalist class

2

a

: practicing or advocating capitalism

capitalist nations

b

: marked by capitalism

capitalist period of history

capitalistically

ˌka-pə-tə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌkap-tə-

adverb

Synonyms of capitalist

Noun

• have
• plutocrat
• money
• magnate
• moneybags
• billionaire

Examples of capitalist in a Sentence

Noun

capitalists who lost everything in the '29 Crash

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Eric Jones, a former venture capitalist and political newcomer, out-raised the longtime congressman. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026

Compared to some of his other ventures, including pushing to bring psychedelics into the mainstream, German venture capitalist and Enhanced Games cofounder and executive chairman Christian Angermayer describes pulling it all off as a breeze. —Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026

Adjective

But whereas leftist thinkers starting with Marx saw the liberal ideal as totally discredited, a mere camouflage for capitalist power, Habermas kept faith with the utopian potential of liberalism. —Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 3 May 2026

That gauging one’s goodness or worth by the rubric of productivity is a capitalist lie. —Literary Hub, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably borrowed from French capitaliste "person possessing capital," from capital capital entry 2 + -iste -ist entry 1

Adjective

capital entry 2 + -ist entry 2, after capitalist entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capitalist

• pre-capitalist

Kids Definition

capitalist

noun

cap·​i·​tal·​ist

ˈkap-ət-ᵊl-əst, 

ˈkap-tᵊl-

1

: a person who has capital and especially business capital

2

: a person who supports capitalism