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.

Raleigh held a monopoly of cards, Essex a monopoly of sweet wines. --Macaulay.

2. Exclusive possession; as, a monopoly of land.

If I had a monopoly out, they would have part on 't. --Shak.

3. The commodity or other material thing to which the monopoly relates; as, tobacco is a monopoly in France. [Colloq.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)