fat cat
B2Informal, often journalistic, sometimes derogatory.
Definition
Meaning
A wealthy, privileged, and powerful person, especially one in business or politics who profits at others' expense.
Can also refer specifically to a highly paid corporate executive, a rich investor, or a politician benefiting from lobbyist money. The term implies complacency, excess, and detachment from ordinary people.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a compound noun, a metaphorical extension of a well-fed, pampered pet. It strongly connotes criticism of inequality, greed, and undeserved privilege.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
More frequent in American political and business discourse; in UK, often overlaps with 'toff' or 'city boy' but retains its specific connotation of corporate/political excess.
Connotations
US: Strong association with Wall Street, corporate bailouts, political donors. UK: Strong association with bankers, privatised utility bosses, and Tory donors.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties, with spikes during economic crises or scandals involving executive pay.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[determiner] + fat cat + [of/in/from] + [organization/industry][verb] + the fat catsfat cat + [noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Fat cat and fiddle”
- “Letting the fat cats out of the bag (playful pun on idiom)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used critically in reports on executive compensation, mergers, or layoffs.
Academic
Used in sociology, political economy, and media studies to discuss elite power and inequality.
Everyday
Used in conversation to express anger or resentment toward perceived greedy elites.
Technical
Not a technical term, but appears in financial journalism and political commentary.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He's been fat-catting it in the City while the rest of us struggle.
- The executives were accused of fat-catting off public subsidies.
American English
- They've been fat-catting on Wall Street for decades.
- The bill prevents CEOs from fat-catting with taxpayer money.
adverb
British English
- The board lived fat-cat, with little regard for their staff.
American English
- He was living fat-cat off his inheritance.
adjective
British English
- The fat-cat bankers faced public outrage.
- It was seen as another fat-cat bonus scandal.
American English
- Fat-cat donors control the political process.
- They opposed the fat-cat tax loopholes.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is a very rich man. Some people call him a fat cat.
- The newspaper wrote about fat cats in the banking industry getting huge bonuses.
- Protesters were angry at the fat cats in the government who seemed unaffected by the economic crisis.
- The scandal revealed a network of fat cats who had manipulated regulations for their own enormous profit.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a literally fat, pampered cat sleeping on silk pillows while mice (workers) scurry for crumbs.
Conceptual Metaphor
WEALTH IS EXCESS BODY FAT, THE POWERFUL ARE DOMESTICATED PREDATORS (pets).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'толстый кот'. Use 'толстосум', 'богатей', 'нувориш', or descriptive phrases like 'богатый и алчный магнат'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a compliment (it is pejorative).
- Applying it to someone who is simply rich but not perceived as exploitative.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'fat cat' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is inherently critical and pejorative. Using it neutrally or positively would be highly unusual and ironic.
Yes, though historically applied more to men, it can refer to any wealthy, powerful person perceived as greedy. The term itself is not gendered.
It originated in 1920s American political slang, referring to a rich political donor, likened to a well-fed, complacent animal.
Generally not. It belongs to informal, journalistic, or polemical registers. In formal academic or business writing, more neutral terms like 'plutocrat' or 'executive' are preferred.