/ məˈnɒpəli; NAmE məˈnɑːp-/ noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
monopoly (in / of / on sth) ( business ) the complete control of trade in particular goods or the supply of a particular service; a type of goods or a service that is controlled in this way :
In the past central government had a monopoly on television broadcasting.
Electricity, gas and water were considered to be natural monopolies.
—compare duopoly
2.
[ usually sing. ] monopoly in / of / on sth the complete control, possession or use of sth; a thing that belongs only to one person or group and that other people cannot share :
Managers do not have a monopoly on stress.
A good education should not be the monopoly of the rich.
3.
Monopoly ™ a board game in which players have to pretend to buy and sell land and houses, using pieces of paper that look like money
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: via Latin from Greek monopōlion , from monos single + pōlein sell.