Dictionary

oligarchy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑlɪˌɡɑɹki/ (US)
• /ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːki/ (UK)
• (UK) audio
• /ˈoʊlɪˌɡɑɹki/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed from French oligarchie, from Late Latin oligarchia, from Ancient Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía), from ὀλίγος (olígos, “few”) + ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “rule”). By surface analysis, oligo- (“few”) + -archy (“rule, command”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A government run by and for only a few, often the aristocracy, the wealthy, or their friends and associates.
   • The Itasca Project is just one example of existing oligarchy, and a surprisingly open one at that. 2016 January 17, Malcolm Harris, “Wealthy cabals run America”, in Al Jazeera America, archived from the original on 23 Aug 2017, retrieved 18 Jan 2016:
   • It's an oligarchy because these families own and run almost everything that makes money in El Salvador. Coffee gave birth to the oligarchy in the late 19th century, and economic growth has revolved around them ever since. 1981 September 6, “The Eclipse of the Oligarchs”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2022:
   • Together, we will usher in a generation of change. And if we embrace this brave new course, rather than fleeing from it, we can respond to oligarchy and authoritarianism with the strength it fears, not the appeasement it craves. 2025 November 5, Zohran Mamdani, “The Full Transcript of Zohran Mamdani’s Victory Speech”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 05 Nov 2025:
   • Despite the involvement of all classes of society, America's political duopoly and the importance of money to mass-market campaigning has established an oligarchy that is seldom responsive to the citizenry as a whole, when opposed to the wealthy or major interest groups.
2. (countable, uncountable) A state ruled by such a government.
   • The 1832 Reform Act aimed to transform the British oligarchy and allow Parliament to represent the interests of a broader range of the population.
3. (countable, uncountable) Those who make up an oligarchic government.
   • The modern British oligarchy—particularly during periods of Tory rule—has been called a chumocracy.

Forms

Deriveds

oligarch · silovarchy · oiligarchy · oligarchic · oligarchical · broligarchy

Hyponyms

meritocracy · chumocracy · kleptocracy · technocracy · aristocracy · plutocracy

Relateds

oligopoly

Translations (133)

fi oligarkia (those who make up an oligarchic government) · ko 과두 (those who make up an oligarchic government) · es oligarquía (government by only a few) · sh олига̀рхија (government by only a few) · io oligarkio (state ruled by such a government) · mk олигархија (state ruled by such a government) · ja 寡頭制 (government by only a few) · sv fåmannavälde (government by only a few) · ka ოლიგარქია (government by only a few) · nb fåmannsvelde (government by only a few) · uk олігархі́я (government by only a few) · nb oligarki (state ruled by such a government) · fr oligarchie (state ruled by such a government) · da oligarki (government by only a few) · fi oligarkia (state ruled by such a government) · sq oligarki (government by only a few) · ja 寡頭 (those who make up an oligarchic government) · io oligarkio (those who make up an oligarchic government) · pt oligarquia (government by only a few) · fr oligarchie (government by only a few) · lt oligarchija (state ruled by such a government) · ga olagarcacht (government by only a few) · it oligarchia (government by only a few) · af oligargie (state ruled by such a government) · mk олигархија (government by only a few) · ga olagarcacht (state ruled by such a government) · ca oligarquia (government by only a few) · nn oligarki (state ruled by such a government) · tk oligarhiýa (government by only a few) · pt oligarquia (state ruled by such a government) · nb oligarki (government by only a few) · uk олігархі́я (state ruled by such a government) · eo oligarĥio (government by only a few) · id oligarki (government by only a few) · ru олига́рхия (those who make up an oligarchic government) · sk oligarchia (state ruled by such a government) · kk олигархия (government by only a few) · nn oligarki (government by only a few) · nn fåmannsvelde (government by only a few) · hu oligarchia (state ruled by such a government) · nl oligarchie (those who make up an oligarchic government) · io oligarkio (government by only a few) · tl untipunuan (state ruled by such a government) · yi אָליגאַרכיע (government by only a few) · sl oligarhija (government by only a few) · nl oligarchie (state ruled by such a government) · ar أُولِيغَارْكِي (government by only a few) · da fåmandsvælde (government by only a few) · ko 과두제 (government by only a few) · da oligarki (state ruled by such a government) · ka ოლიგარქია (state ruled by such a government) · ga olagarcacht (those who make up an oligarchic government) · ru олига́рхия (government by only a few) · es oligarquía (state ruled by such a government) · ro oligarhie (government by only a few) · hi अल्पजनाधिपत्य (government by only a few) · sl oligarhija (state ruled by such a government) · az oliqarxiya (government by only a few) · tr oligarşi (government by only a few) · ky олигархия (government by only a few) · lt oligarchija (government by only a few) · ka ოლიგარქები (those who make up an oligarchic government) · sh oligàrhija (government by only a few) · cmn 寡頭 /寡头 (those who make up an oligarchic government) · is fáveldi (government by only a few) · bg олигархия (state ruled by such a government) · af oligargie (those who make up an oligarchic government) · hy օլիգարխիա (state ruled by such a government) · hi अल्पतंत्र (government by only a few) · lv oligarhija (government by only a few) · sv oligarki (government by only a few) · ro oligarhie (state ruled by such a government) · fa الیگارشی (government by only a few) · he אוֹלִיגַרְכְיָה (those who make up an oligarchic government) · sh олига̀рхија (state ruled by such a government) · it oligarchia (state ruled by such a government) · eo oligarĥio (state ruled by such a government) · id oligarki (those who make up an oligarchic government) · pl oligarchia (state ruled by such a government) · tg олигархия (government by only a few) · fi oligarkit (those who make up an oligarchic government) · lv oligarhija (state ruled by such a government) · ru олига́рхия (state ruled by such a government) · th คณาธิปไตย (government by only a few) · pt oligarquia (those who make up an oligarchic government) · de Oligarchie (state ruled by such a government) · el ολιγαρχία (state ruled by such a government) · el ολιγαρχία (government by only a few) · ka ოლიგარქია (those who make up an oligarchic government) · sk oligarchia (government by only a few) · he אוֹלִיגַרְכְיָה (government by only a few) · tl untipunuan (those who make up an oligarchic government) · et oligarhia (state ruled by such a government) · fa جرگهسالاران (those who make up an oligarchic government) · be аліга́рхія (government by only a few) · fi oligarkia (government by only a few) · nl oligarchie (government by only a few) · cmn 寡頭政治 /寡头政治 (government by only a few) · cs oligarchie (state ruled by such a government) · fr oligarchie (those who make up an oligarchic government) · ja 寡頭政治 (government by only a few) · fi valtaeliitti (those who make up an oligarchic government) · la oligarchia (government by only a few) · hu kiskirályság (state ruled by such a government) · hy օլիգարխիա (government by only a few) · is fámennisstjórn (government by only a few) · ca oligarquia (those who make up an oligarchic government) · es oligarquía (those who make up an oligarchic government) · sh oligàrhija (state ruled by such a government) · grc ὀλιγαρχία (government by only a few) · hy օլիգարխիա (those who make up an oligarchic government) · id oligarki (state ruled by such a government) · eo oligarĥio (those who make up an oligarchic government) · pl oligarchia (government by only a few) · tl untipunuan (government by only a few) · de Oligarchie (government by only a few) · be аліга́рхія (state ruled by such a government) · gl oligarquía (government by only a few) · cs oligarchie (government by only a few) · sv oligarki (state ruled by such a government) · af oligargie (government by only a few) · is fámennisveldi (government by only a few) · tl oligarkiya (government by only a few) · hi ओलिगार्की (government by only a few) · fi harvainvalta (state ruled by such a government) · uz oligarxiya (government by only a few) · hu oligarchia (government by only a few) · mi mana tokoiti (government by only a few) · fi harvainvalta (government by only a few) · fo fámannaveldi (government by only a few) · bg олигархия (government by only a few) · et oligarhia (government by only a few) · ca oligarquia (state ruled by such a government)