A person of high social rank or importance, especially a Spanish or Portuguese nobleman; any person of great power or authority.
From Spanish 'grande,' meaning 'great' or 'of high rank.' Entered English in the 1600s through contact with Spanish and Portuguese nobility.
A 'grandee' isn't just any rich person—it implies old family power and titles, which is why the word appears in history books about Spanish kingdoms but sounds almost comically formal if you use it today.
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