Monopolises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Takes complete control over a market or supply, preventing others from competing
2. Obtains sole possession or control of a product or service in a way that excludes competitors
3. Dominates an industry or resource to the extent that no other suppliers exist

Etymology: "Monopolises" is the third-person singular present form of "monopolise", the British spelling of "monopolize". The verb comes from "monopoly", which in turn traces back through Latin to Greek "monopōlion", a compound of "monos" meaning "alone" or "single" and "pōlein" meaning "to sell". The original sense was therefore a right to be the sole seller of something. The verb developed from that commercial meaning. To monopolise a trade was to hold exclusive rights to it, and from there the sense widened to any act of seizing sole control over something, whether a market, a conversation, or a person's attention. The "-ise" ending is the familiar Greek-derived verb suffix found in words like "criticise" and "baptise", which reached English through Old French and Medieval Latin.

Synonyms: dominates, controls, commands, owns, holds

Antonyms: shares, divides, distributes, collaborates, participates