Grammar Girl: For Writers and Language Lovers. Battle of the moguls. 'Awhile' versus 'a while.' Crittador.
Feb 17, 2026
They trace two distinct origins of the word mogul, from ski bumps to powerful rulers, and explain how the meanings diverged. They cover moguls in skiing, railroads, and media, plus some obsolete uses. They also tackle when to use awhile versus a while with simple swap tests and note style-guide disagreements. A light familect story about 'critter predators' rounds things out.
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Origin Of The Ski Mogul
- The ski meaning of mogul comes from a German or Scandinavian word for a small mound formed by skiers carving turns.
- Mogul skiing became competitive mid-20th century and reached the Olympics by 1992.
Mogul From Mughal Empire
- The powerful-person mogul traces to the Mughal emperors of India, who descended from Mongols and impressed Europeans with wealth and power.
- That sense entered English in the 1650s and evolved into industry-specific uses like movie mogul and media mogul.
Historical Brand And Locomotive Uses
- 'Mogul' acquired multiple meanings including a brand for high-quality playing cards and a name for powerful steam locomotives.
- These usages reflect the word's association with strength, quality, and influence over time.