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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Monopoly \Mo*nop"o*ly\, n.; pl. {Monopolies}. [L. monopolium,
Gr. ?, ?; mo`nos alone ? to sell.]
1. The exclusive power, or privilege of selling a commodity;
the exclusive power, right, or privilege of dealing in
some article, or of trading in some market; sole command
of the traffic in anything, however obtained; as, the
proprietor of a patented article is given a monopoly of
its sale for a limited time; chartered trading companies
have sometimes had a monopoly of trade with remote
regions; a combination of traders may get a monopoly of a
particular product.
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Raleigh held a monopoly of cards, Essex a monopoly
of sweet wines. --Macaulay.
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2. Exclusive possession; as, a monopoly of land.
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If I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't.
--Shak.
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3. The commodity or other material thing to which the
monopoly relates; as, tobacco is a monopoly in France.
[Colloq.]
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