Definitions for oligarchyˈɒl ɪˌgɑr ki
Random House Webster's College Dictionary
ol•i•gar•chyˈɒl ɪˌgɑr ki(n.)(pl.)-chies.
a form of government in which power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique.
Category: Government
a state or organization so ruled.
Category: Government
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
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
oligarchy(Noun)
A government run by only a few, often the wealthy.
oligarchy(Noun)
Those who make up an oligarchic government.
oligarchy(Noun)
A state ruled by such a government.
Origin: From oligarchie, from oligarchia, from ὀλιγαρχία, from ὀλίγος + ἀρχή.
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