Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fat cat

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.51 in modern English

Syllables: fat -cat
IPA

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A rich person who contributes to a political campaign.

Slang

noun

Any affluent person who is perceived to have profited from the labor of others; and/or not to care about those of lesser means.

Derogatory; Slang

noun

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fat, cat.

Example Sentences

"A staggering 57% of American workers believe there is a very real chance they will be unemployed in the next 5 to 7 years. But what does that matter to a bloated millionaire fat-cat like you?"
"For entirely self-serving reasons, ministers and civil servants never dispelled the public belief that uncaring 'fat cat' privateers or foreign state railways were in control, ramping up fares and creaming off profits which either enriched shareholders or subsidised European rail fares. DfT left train operators to 'take the heat' - which they dutifully did, fearful of speaking up and 'biting the hand that feeds'."
"In America, where we moralize our money and monetize our morals, fat cats who go bust tend to be viewed as cautionary figures, singular exemplars of malfeasance, not routine casualties of the fickle system that exalted them in the first place."

Etymology

The phrase was first used in the 1920s in the United States to describe rich political donors. By the middle of the 20th century, the term was being applied more widely to any wealthy individual.

Usage

Inflected Forms

fat cats (plural) fatcat (alternative) fat-cat (alternative)

Synonyms

angel big money man

Questions

What does fat cat mean?: A rich person who contributes to a political campaign.
Where does fat cat come from?: The phrase was first used in the 1920s in the United States to describe rich political donors. By the middle of the 20th century, the term was being applied more widely to any wealthy individual.

How to pronounce fat cat

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