plutocracy

 
Pronunciation: /pluːˈtɒkrəsi/

noun (plural plutocracies)

[mass noun]
  • government by the wealthy: the attack on the Bank of England was a gesture against the very symbol of plutocracy
  • [count noun] a state or society governed by the wealthy: no one can accept public policies which turn a democracy into a plutocracy
  • [count noun] an elite or ruling class whose power derives from their wealth: officials were drawn from the new plutocracy

Derivatives

plutocratic

Pronunciation: /pluːtəˈkratɪk/
adjective

plutocratically

Pronunciation: /pluːtəˈkratɪk(ə)li/
adverb

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Greek ploutokratia, from ploutos 'wealth' + kratos 'strength, authority'