Monopoly

exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices.
compare , .
an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.
the exclusive possession or control of something.
something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service.
a company or group that has such control.
the market condition that exists when there is only one seller.
(initial capital letter) a board game in which a player attempts to gain a monopoly of real estate by advancing around the board and purchasing property, acquiring capital by collecting rent from other players whose pieces land on that property.
contemporary examples

but now schmidt is the one running a monopoly, and guess what?
nicolas sarkozy demands more policing of the internet dan lyons may 23, 2011

such approaches errantly and inexcusably afford israel a monopoly on defining reality.
levy is right yousef munayyer july 12, 2012

a small fortune: the standard edition of monopoly includes $15,120 of fake money.
fidel castro hates monopoly & 12 more reasons to love it caroline linton february 5, 2013

the left has been ceded a monopoly on caring about black people, and monopolies are dangerous.
when america said “no” to the war on segregation jamelle bouie february 3, 2014

yet the military—for all its monopoly of power—strangely lacks the ac-men and competence that should guide power.
david’s book club: pakistan, between mosque and military david frum april 22, 2012

historical examples

he had the monopoly, and, like all monopolises, he abused his position.
novel notes jerome k. jerome

daring, courage, virtue—there is no monopoly of these things.
cyropaedia xenophon

the treaty of utrecht secured to britain a monopoly of that traffick.
a defence of virginia robert l. dabney

any deduction from this monopoly must bring down her rival in proportion to this deduction.
patrick henry moses coit tyler

copyright is monopoly, and produces all the effects which the general voice of mankind attributes to monopoly.
the miscellaneous writings and speeches of lord macaulay, vol. 4 (of 4) thomas babington macaulay

noun (pl) -lies
exclusive control of the market supply of a product or service

an enterprise exercising this control
the product or service so controlled

(law) the exclusive right or privilege granted to a person, company, etc, by the state to purchase, manufacture, use, or sell some commodity or to carry on trade in a specified country or area
exclusive control, possession, or use of something
noun
trademark a board game for two to six players who throw dice to advance their tokens around a board, the object being to acquire the property on which their tokens land
n.

“exclusive control of a commodity or trade,” 1530s, from latin monopolium, from greek monopolion “right of exclusive sale,” from mono- + polein “to sell,” from pie root -pel- (5) “to sell” (cf. sanskrit panate “barters, purchases,” lithuanian pelnas “gain,” old church slavonic splenu, russian polon “prey, booty,” old norse falr, dutch veil, german feil “for sale, venal”).

alternative form monopole (1540s, from the old french form of the word) was common in 16c. the popular board game, invented by charles darrow, is from 1935. monopoly money “unreal currency” is attested from 1972, in reference to the paper used in the game.

the exclusive control by one company of a service or product.