robber baron JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/ˈrɒbər ˈbærən/ · rob.ber bar.on
noun
- An aristocrat in Europe who charged exorbitant fees or exacted money from people who journeyed across land or waterways he controlled. The robber barons of medieval Europe were notorious for their extortionate tolls.
- A business tycoon, especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, who had great wealth and influence but whose methods were morally questionable and often unethical. The robber barons of the Gilded Age were criticized for their ruthless business practices.
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Did you know? The term 'robber baron' was popularized by American historian Matthew Josephson in his 1934 book 'The Robber Barons: The Great American Capitalists, 1861-1901'.