oligarchy

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word oligarchy. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word oligarchy, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say oligarchy in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word oligarchy you have here. The definition of the word oligarchy will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofoligarchy, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Etymology

From French oligarchie, from Latin oligarchia, from Ancient Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía), from ὀλίγος (olígos, “few”) + ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “rule”).
By surface analysis, olig- (“few”) +‎ -archy (“rule, command”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːki/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɑːlɪˌɡɑɹki/, /ˈoʊlɪˌɡɑɹki/
  • Audio (UK):(file)

Noun

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

oligarchy (countable and uncountable, plural oligarchies)

  1. A government run by only a few, often the wealthy.
    • 1981 September 6, “The Eclipse of the Oligarchs”, in The New York Times‎, →ISSN:
      It's an oligarchy because these families own and run almost everything that makes money in El Salvador. Coffee gave birth to the oligarchy in the late 19th century, and economic growth has revolved around them ever since.
    • 2016 January 17, “Wealthy cabals run America”, in Al Jazeera America, retrieved 18 January 2016:
      The Itasca Project is just one example of existing oligarchy, and a surprisingly open one at that.
  2. Those who make up an oligarchic government.
  3. A state ruled by such a government.

Derived terms

  • oligopoly (not to be confused, although oligarchs can also be oligopolists, as for example in petrostates)

Translations

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia