English · Word Candidate

monopoly

/məˈnɒpəli/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: monopolies

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A situation, by legal privilege or other agreement, in which solely one party (company, cartel etc.) exclusively provides a particular product or service, dominating that market and generally exerting powerful control over it.

Noun

Examples

The sale of the leaves and roots was a Government monopoly, and from it the Kings of Kôr derived a large proportion of their private revenue.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An exclusive control over the trade or production of a commodity or service through exclusive possession.

Noun

Examples

A land monopoly renders its holder(s) nearly almighty in an agricultural society.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “monopoly” mean?

Is “monopoly” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.