Monopoly

Part of speech: noun (n.)

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.]