Dictionary

macher en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈmɑxəɹ/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Yiddish מאַכער (makher, “influential person”, literally “one who makes”) from מאַכן (makhn, “to make”). Cognate, naturally, to English maker and German Macher.

Meanings

1. (US, informal) An important person, often in the negative sense of self-important; a bigwig.
   • The meaty and more familiar parts of Anna’s story — passing as a German heiress, ripping off tony hotels, brazenly exploiting narcissistic machers and star-struck working women — are told in flashback as Vivian reports her article. 2022 February 10, Mike Hale, “‘Inventing Anna’ Review: The SoHo Scammer, Explained at Length”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • An ordinary man doesn’t jump the Snake River Canyon / with nothing underneath his ass / but a two-wheeled, fin-stabilised X-1 Skycycle / and a seven-figure guarantee from some macher in LA. 2005 October 20, August Kleinzahler, “A Valentine’s: Regarding the Impractibility of Our Love”, in London Review of Books, volume 27, number 20, page 6:
   • Finally, Mr. Wall Street macher, there's our own Abe Silverfish, a man who has editing awards from prestige film festivals in Tanganyika and Bali. 2007, Woody Allen, “Calisthenics, Poison Ivy, Final Cut”, in Mere Anarchy:

Forms

Synonyms

muckamuck · big noise · macher · VIP · big name · grand poobah · king of the castle · boss · panjandrum · very important person · high muckety-muck · rooster · top boy · top banana · poobah · kingpin · high muckamuck · numero uno · top cat · mayor · heavyweight · big kahuna · top gun · top dog · big enchilada · muckety muck · big cheese · mugwump · head honcho · big shot · big wheel · king of the hill · baron · king of all one surveys · somebody · wheel · heavy hitter · bigwig · big man · big gun