Definitions for oligarchyˈɒl ɪˌgɑr ki

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

ol•i•gar•chyˈɒl ɪˌgɑr ki(n.)(pl.)-chies.

  1. a form of government in which power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique.

    Category: Government

  2. a state or organization so ruled.

    Category: Government

  3. the persons or class so ruling.

    Category: Government

Origin of oligarchy:

1570–80; < ML oligarchia < Gk oligarchía. See olig -, -archy

ol`i•gar′chic(adj.)

ol`i•gar′chi•cal(adj.)

Princeton's WordNet

  1. oligarchy(noun)

    a political system governed by a few people

    "one of his cardinal convictions was that Britain was not run as a democracy but as an oligarchy"; "the big cities were notoriously in the hands of the oligarchy of local businessmen"

Wiktionary

  1. oligarchy(Noun)

    A government run by only a few, often the wealthy.

  2. oligarchy(Noun)

    Those who make up an oligarchic government.

  3. oligarchy(Noun)

    A state ruled by such a government.

  4. Origin: From oligarchie, from oligarchia, from ὀλιγαρχία, from ὀλίγος + ἀρχή.


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