WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ol•i•gar•chic
(ol′i gär′kik),USA pronunciation adj.
ol′i′gar′chi•cal•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- Governmentof, pertaining to, or having the form of an oligarchy.
- Greek oligarchikós, equivalent. to oligarch(ía) oligarchy + -ikos -ic
- 1640–50
ol•i•gar•chy /ˈɑlɪˌgɑrki/USA pronunciation
n., pl. -chies.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Government[uncountable] a form of government in which power is held by a few persons or by a dominant class or group.
- Government a state or organization ruled this way:[countable]corrupt oligarchies.
- Government the persons or class that rules this way:[countable]the ageing oligarchy.
ol•i•gar•chy
(ol′i gär′kē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -chies.
- Governmenta form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique;
government by the few. - Governmenta state or organization so ruled.
- Governmentthe persons or class so ruling.
- Greek oligarchía. See olig-, -archy
- Medieval Latin oligarchia
- 1570–80
'oligarchic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):