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oligopoly
7 dictionary results for: oligopoly
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ol·i·gop·o·ly       [ol-i-gop-uh-lee] Pronunciation Key
–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).
[Origin: 1890–95; oligo- + (mono)poly]

—Related forms
ol·i·gop·o·lis·tic       [ol-i-gop-uh-lis-tik] Pronunciation Key, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ol·i·gop·o·ly       (ŏl'ĭ-gŏp'ə-lē, ō'lĭ-)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   pl. ol·i·gop·o·lies
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.


[oligo- + (mono)poly.]

ol'i·gop'o·lis'tic (-lĭs'tĭk) adj.
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
oligopoly

noun
(economics) a market in which control over the supply of a commodity is in the hands of a small number of producers and each one can influence prices and affect competitors 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
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 American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Oligopoly

When a particular market is controlled by a small group of firms.

An oligopoly is much like a monopoly, in which only one company exerts control over most of a market. In an oligopoly there are at least two firms.

Investopedia Commentary

The retail gas market is a good example of oligopoly - there are a small number of firms that control a large majority of the market.

Related Links

Antitrust Defined
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See also: Cartel, Duopoly, Monopoly, Oligopsony, Perfect Competition

Also spelled: oligopolies, oligopolistic

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
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Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

oligopoly

A market in which a limited number of sellers follow the lead of a single major firm. For example, the domestic automobile market was long characterized as an oligopoly, with American Motors, Chrysler, and Ford following the pricing lead of industry giant General Motors. Compare monopoly, oligopsony.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: ol·i·gop·o·ly
Pronunciation: "ä-li-'gä-p&-lE, "O-
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -lies
: a condition in which a few sellers dominate a particular market to the detriment of competition by others

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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