cartel
Cartel (noun) means a group of businesses or organisations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition. Example: “The oil cartel agreed to cut production to raise prices.”
How to use cartel
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA group that colludes to control a market or industry, legally (in business) or illegally (as with drug cartels).
Word forms
cartels plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The oil _____ agreed to cut production to raise prices.
Etymology
Borrowed from German Kartell in the 19th century, itself from French cartel, ultimately from Italian cartello ("placard"), from Latin charta.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for cartel
See all rhymes for cartel →Frequently asked questions
What does “cartel” mean?
The word “cartel” means a group of businesses or organisations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition. In plain terms, a group that colludes to control a market or industry, legally (in business) or illegally (as with drug cartels).
How do you pronounce “cartel”?
“Cartel” is pronounced kah-TEHL (/kɑɹˈtɛl/ in IPA).
How do you use “cartel” in a sentence?
Here is “cartel” used in a sentence: “The oil cartel agreed to cut production to raise prices.”
What part of speech is “cartel”?
“Cartel” is a noun.
Where does the word “cartel” come from?
The word “cartel” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Latin. Borrowed from German Kartell in the 19th century, itself from French cartel, ultimately from Italian cartello ("placard"), from Latin charta.
Is “cartel” a common word?
“Cartel” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between a cartel and a monopoly?
A cartel is a group of separate businesses or organizations that secretly cooperate to control prices or limit competition, while a monopoly is a single company that dominates a market without needing to collude with others. Cartels rely on agreement among competitors, whereas monopolies achieve control through market dominance alone.
Is forming a cartel legal?
Cartels are generally illegal in most countries because they exist to secretly fix prices or restrict competition, which harms consumers and violates antitrust or competition laws.
What is an example of what a cartel does?
A cartel might involve several businesses secretly agreeing to set the same high prices or to divide up markets between themselves, rather than competing against each other.