cartel

[kahr-tel]

noun

1. an international syndicate, combine, or trust formed especially to regulate prices and output in some field of business.

   Synonyms: combination, merger, monopoly

2. a coalition of political or special-interest groups having a common cause, as to encourage the passage of a certain law.

3. a written agreement between belligerents, especially for the exchange of prisoners.

4. a written challenge to a duel.

cartel

/ kɑːˈtɛl /

noun

1. Also called: trust. a collusive international association of independent enterprises formed to monopolize production and distribution of a product or service, control prices, etc

2. politics an alliance of parties or interests to further common aims

cartel

1. An association in which producers of a similar or identical product try to obtain a monopoly over the sale of the product.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a cartel.

Other Word Forms

• cartelism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cartel¹

1550–60; < Middle French < Italian cartello letter of defiance, poster, equivalent to cart ( a ) carte + -ello diminutive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of cartel¹

C20: from German Kartell, from French, from Italian cartello a written challenge, public notice, diminutive of carta _card ¹

Example Sentences

Maduro, whose legitimacy as Venezuela's president is internationally contested after disputed elections last year, has denied the cartel accusations.

Read more on BBC

Administration officials have argued that by designating Latin American drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, the U.S. has the power to use lethal force.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It’s delivering a World Series to a gambling cartel while a retinue of sports reporters cover a completely different — and wholly imaginary — ballgame.

Read more on Salon

England are bringing a powerful squad with a cartel of dangerous quicks spearheaded by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, while Root, Crawley and Harry Brook lead a batting line-up with plenty of depth.

Read more on Barron's

This lucrative black market has increasingly drawn the attention of sophisticated criminal networks spanning the Triads of Southeast Asia to the cartels of South America.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• conglomerate 
• consortium 
• corporation 
• gang 
• holding company 
• mob 
• monopoly 
• ring 
• syndicate