plutocracy

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plutocracy

government in which the wealthy class rules: In a plutocracy, there is little regard for the poor.
Not to be confused with:
anarchy – the absence of laws or government: The fall of the empire was followed by chaos and anarchy.
aristocracy – rule by elite or privileged upper class: The governing body was composed of the country’s most powerful aristocracy.
democracy – government by the people: The United States is a democracy.
oligarchy – government by the few: The citizens have no voice in an oligarchy.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

plu·toc·ra·cy

 (plo͞o-tŏk′rə-sē)
n. pl. plu·toc·ra·cies
1. Government by the wealthy.
2. A wealthy class that controls a government.
3. A government or state in which the wealthy rule.

[Greek ploutokratiā : ploutos, wealth; see pleu- in Indo-European roots + -kratiā, -cracy.]

plu′to·crat′ (plo͞o′tə-krăt′) n.
plu′to·crat′ic, plu′to·crat′i·cal adj.
plu′to·crat′i·cal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

plutocracy

(pluːˈtɒkrəsɪ)
n, pl -cies
1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the rule or control of society by the wealthy
2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a state or government characterized by the rule of the wealthy
3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a class that exercises power by virtue of its wealth
[C17: from Greek ploutokratia government by the rich, from ploutos wealth + -kratia rule, power]
plutocratic, ˌplutoˈcratical adj
ˌplutoˈcratically adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

plu•toc•ra•cy

(pluˈtɒk rə si)

n., pl. -cies.
1. the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy.
2. a government or state in which the wealthy class rules.
3. a class or group exercising power by virtue of its wealth.
[1645–55; < Greek ploutokratía=ploûto(s) wealth + -kratia -cracy]
plu•to•crat (ˈplū təˌkræt) n.
plu`to•crat′ic adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

plutocracy

1. the rule of the rich or wealthy.
2. the rich or wealthy who govern under such a system. Also called plousiocracy.plutocrat, n.
See also: Government
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

plutocracy

1. A form of government in which power is held by the rich.
2. A society in which power is in the hands of wealthy people.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.plutocracy - a political system governed by the wealthy people
form of government, political system - the members of a social organization who are in power
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

plutocracy

[ˌpluːˈtɒkrəsɪ] Nplutocracia f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

plutocracy

nPlutokratie f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

plutocracy

[ˌpluːˈtɒkrəsɪ] nplutocrazia
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in periodicals archive ?
For example, when a staff memo presented the problem of weighting expenditures democratically or plutocratically, (104) Commissioner Shiskin decided to go with the plutocratic approach, which "would be best for 'deflating GNP and component income distribution' for the national accounts." (105)