Oligopoly Definition
ŏlĭ-gŏpə-lē, ōlĭ-
oligopolies
noun
A market condition in which sellers are so few that the actions of any one of them will materially affect price and have a measurable impact on competitors.
American Heritage
Control of a commodity or service in a given market by a small number of companies or suppliers.
Webster's New World
An industry that is dominated by a small number of companies that manufacture substantially identical products. The American automobile industry and the tobacco industry are two examples. An oligopoly is far less competitive than one with many manufacturers, but slightly more competitive than a monopoly.
Webster's New World Law
Other Word Forms of Oligopoly
Noun
Singular:
oligopoly
Plural:
oligopoliesOrigin of Oligopoly
-
Derived, by analogy with monopoly, from Ancient Greek ὀλίγοι (oligoi, “few") + πωλέω (pōleō, “to sell"). From oligo- +"Ž -poly
From Wiktionary
oligo– (mono)poly
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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