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oligopoly
[ ol-i-gop-uh-lee ]
/ ˌɒl ɪˈgɒp ə li /
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noun
the market condition that exists when there are few sellers, as a result of which they can greatly influence price and other market factors.Compare duopoly, monopoly (def. 1).
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Origin of oligopoly
First recorded in 1890–95; oligo- + (mono)poly
OTHER WORDS FROM oligopoly
ol·i·gop·o·lis·tic [ol-i-gop-uh-lis-tik], /ˌɒl ɪˌgɒp əˈlɪs tɪk/, adjectiveWords nearby oligopoly
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use oligopoly in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for oligopoly
oligopoly
/ (ˌɒlɪˈɡɒpəlɪ) /
noun plural -lies
economics a market situation in which control over the supply of a commodity is held by a small number of producers each of whom is able to influence prices and thus directly affect the position of competitors
Derived forms of oligopoly
oligopolistic, adjectiveWord Origin for oligopoly
C20: from oligo- + Greek pōlein to sell, on the model of monopoly
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for oligopoly
oligopoly
[ (ol-i-gop-uh-lee, oh-li-gop-uh-lee) ]
Control over the production and sale of a product or service by a few companies.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.