n.
Pronunciation: m ə - ' nä-p( ə -)l ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -lies
Etymology: Latin monopolium, from Greek monop ō lion, from mon- + p ō lein to sell
Date: 1534
1 : exclusive ownership through legal privilege, command of supply, or concerted action
2 : exclusive possession or control
3 : a commodity controlled by one party
4 : one that has a monopoly