English Explanatory Dictionary

bankster

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A banker who is seen as criminally irresponsible, or as extorting bailout money from the taxpayers.

Pronunciation

/ˈbæŋkstə/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-bankster.wav /ˈbæŋkstɚ/ /ˈbeɪ̯ŋkstɚ/ /ˈbɛ̃ŋkstɚ/

Word forms

bankster banksters

Etymology

Blend of banker + gangster. Popularized in the Pecora Commission (1932–1934) that investigated the causes of the Wall Street crash of 1929. The term was later used by Léon Degrelle, Belgian fascist politician and journalist, in 1937 as a pejorative term for high financiers.

Derived words

banksterism
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