oligarchy

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English

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Etymology

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FromFrencholigarchie,fromLatinoligarchia,fromAncient Greekὀλιγαρχία(oligarkhía),fromὀλίγος(olígos,“few”)+ἀρχή(arkhḗ,“rule”).
Bysurface analysis,olig-(“few”)+‎-archy(“rule, command”).

Pronunciation

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

Noun

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EnglishWikipediahas an article on:
Wikipedia

oligarchy(countableanduncountable,pluraloligarchies)

  1. Agovernmentrun by and for only a few, often thearistocracy,thewealthy,or theirfriendsandassociates.
    • 1981September 6, “The Eclipse of the Oligarchs”, inThe New York Times‎[1],→ISSN:
      It's anoligarchybecause these families own and run almost everything that makes money in El Salvador. Coffee gave birth to theoligarchyin the late 19th century, and economic growth has revolved around them ever since.
    • 2016January 17, “Wealthy cabals run America”,inAl Jazeera America,retrieved18 January 2016:
      The Itasca Project is just one example of existingoligarchy,and a surprisingly open one at that.
    Despite the involvement of all classes of society,America's politicalduopolyand the importance of money tomass-marketcampaigning has established anoligarchythat is seldom responsive to the citizenry as a whole, when opposed to the wealthy or majorinterest groups.
  2. A state ruled by such a government.
    The1832 Reform Actaimed to transform the Britisholigarchyand allowParliamentto represent the interests of a broader range of the population.
  3. Those who make up anoligarchicgovernment.
    The modern Britisholigarchy—particularly during periods ofToryrule—has been called achumocracy.

Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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