oligarchy

[ol-i-gahr-kee] /ˈɒl ɪˌgɑr ki/
noun, plural oligarchies.
1.
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.
2.
a state or organization so ruled.
3.
the persons or class so ruling.
Origin
1570-80; < Medieval Latin oligarchia < Greek oligarchía. See olig-, -archy
Examples from the web for oligarchy
  • They're what you get in a religious oligarchy, which is trying to sustain their special privilege against the tides of change.
  • It's oligarchy and history has shown us that the current state of affairs is not sustainable in the long-run.
  • But her officials' efforts to paint the protesters as a rural oligarchy bent on toppling the government have done her little good.
  • Political power was in the hands of the oligarchy, democracy was a farce.
  • The interesting question is whether or not it is even possible for a democracy not to evolve into an oligarchy.
  • But such is life under judicial oligarchy, forcing the nation to speak legalese.
  • The people surrender their sovereign power to an oligarchy who are elected and whose opportunity to wield power is time limited.
  • Now is the time for us to end the financial oligarchy that has been so destructive to our economy.
  • The industry is trying to become free of an oligarchy of established vendors thus improving services and lowering costs.
British Dictionary definitions for oligarchy

oligarchy

/ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːkɪ/
noun (pl) -chies
1.
government by a small group of people
2.
a state or organization so governed
3.
a small body of individuals ruling such a state
4.
(mainly US) a small clique of private citizens who exert a strong influence on government
Derived Forms
oligarchic, oligarchical, adjective
oligarchically, adverb
Word Origin
C16: via Medieval Latin from Greek oligarkhia, from olígos few + -archy
Word Origin and History for oligarchy
n.

1570s, from Middle French oligarchie (14c.), from Greek oligarkhia "government by the few," from stem of oligos "few, small, little" (see oligo-) + arkhein "to rule" (see archon).

oligarchy in Culture
oligarchy [(ol-uh-gahr-kee, oh-luh-gahr-kee)]

A system of government in which power is held by a small group.