duopoly

English

WOTD – 29 July 2023

PIE word
*dwóh₁

From duo- (prefix meaning ‘two’) +‎ -poly (suffix meaning ‘pertaining to the number of sellers in a market’), by analogy with monopoly.

duopoly (countable and uncountable, plural duopolies)

(economics) An economic condition in which two sellers exert (most of the) control over the market of a commodity.
(by extension)
1. The domination of a field of endeavour by two entities or people.
  - 2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer back from Wimbledon 2012 brink to beat Julien Benneteau”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2016-11-15:
    In 2011, his spirit and body were shattered by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals. Last night, the stakes were just as high – even though the tournament is not out of the first week – because there is a creeping perception that the [Roger] Federer–[Rafael] Nadal duopoly is slowly giving way under pressure from below.
  - 2018 February 10, “Spain’s centrist Ciudadanos are on the march”, in The Economist‎, London: Economist Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2018-05-17:
    In Spain, Socialist and PP governments have alternated since the 1980s. This cosy duopoly was weakened by the long recession that followed the bursting of Spain’s housing bubble in 2007.
2. (broadcasting) A situation in which two or more radio or television stations in the same city or community share common ownership.
  Synonym: (Canada) twinstick

economic condition in which two sellers exert (most of the) control over the market of a commodity

domination of a field of endeavour by two entities or people

situation in which two or more radio or television stations in the same city or community share common ownership