monopoly: Meaning and Definition of

mo•nop•o•ly

Pronunciation: (mu-nop'u-lē), [key]
— pl. -lies.
  1. exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices. Cf.
  2. an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.
  3. the exclusive possession or control of something.
  4. something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service.
  5. a company or group that has such control.
  6. the market condition that exists when there is only one seller.
  7. (cap.) 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.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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