cartel

noun

car·​tel kär-ˈtel 

1

: a written agreement between belligerent nations

2

: a combination of independent commercial or industrial enterprises designed to limit competition or fix prices

illegal drug cartels

3

: a combination of political groups for common action

Did you know?

The literal meaning of Italian cartello, a derivative of carta, “leaf of paper,” is “placard.” The word is also used for a letter of defiance or a challenge. In this sense the Italian word was borrowed into Middle French as cartel, and the French word was borrowed into English. In English, a cartel was originally a letter of defiance. Later the word came to be used for a written agreement between warring nations to regulate such matters as the treatment and exchange of prisoners. Another type of agreement, a combination of commercial enterprises, is now called a cartel.

Did you know?

A cartel is an organization of a few independent producers for the purpose of improving the profitability of the firms involved. This usually involves some restriction of output, control of price, and allocation of market shares. Members of a cartel generally maintain their separate identities and financial independence while engaging in cooperative policies. Cartels can either be domestic or international. Because cartels restrict competition and result in higher prices for consumers, they are outlawed in some countries. The only industry operating in the U.S. with a blanket exemption from the antitrust laws is major-league baseball.

Synonyms of cartel

• syndicate
• conglomerate

Examples of cartel in a Sentence

a cartel of oil-producing nations that controls production and influences prices

Recent Examples on the Web

But its primary association in the public consciousness since the nineteen-eighties is with the criminal underworld, particularly the drug cartels. —Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026

The shock announcement dealt a blow to the cartel that coordinates production among many of the world's largest oil producers, particularly those in the Middle East. —Chloe Taylor,hugh Leask,holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026

The move will allow the UAE — one of OPEC’s top three producers — to break free from the output limits imposed by the cartel, whose de facto leader is Saudi Arabia. —Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026

The cartel's operations have also spread to around 100 countries, including the United States. —CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, letter of defiance, from Old Italian cartello, literally, placard, from carta leaf of paper — more at card entry 1

First Known Use

1692, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cartel

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel
• dispel

Kids Definition

cartel

noun

car·​tel kär-ˈtel 

: a combination of business firms to control world markets and fix prices