svengali means one who manipulates or controls another as by some mesmeric or sinister influence; especially a coach, mentor or industry mogul. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
svengali is pronounced /svɛŋˈɡɑːli/.
Why “svengali” is a great word
SVENGALI — [Noun] One who manipulates or controls another, especially through a powerful, sinister, or mesmeric influence. From the name of Svengali, the villainous hypnotist in George du Maurier's novel 'Trilby' (1894). First recorded use in the modern sense circa 1895. Unlike a mentor, who imparts wisdom for a protégé's benefit, or an impresario, who manages the logistics of performance, a svengali exerts psychological dominion for the manipulator's own gain. It is the predatory glint in a talent scout's eye, the shaping hand that twists raw talent into a gilded cage, and the cold charisma that turns a person into a marionette—a portrait of influence that corrupts guidance into a form of parasitic authorship, leaving a puppet who believes, for a time, in its own autonomy.
noun
- One who manipulates or controls another as by some mesmeric or sinister influence; especially a coach, mentor or industry mogul.“She also offers a fascinating glimpse into a more innocent age before svengalis began colluding with marketing men and TV execs to promote talentless wannabes to overnight success.”