# oligarch

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɒlɪˌɡɑːk/ · frequency rank #42,305

## Definitions
1. A member of an oligarchy; someone who is part of a small group that runs a country.
2. A very wealthy business owner who wields political power.
3. A protoplanet formed during oligarchic accretion.

## Etymology
From French oligarque, olygarche, from Late Latin oligarcha, from Ancient Greek ὀλιγάρχης (oligárkhēs). By surface analysis, olig- (“few”) + -arch (“ruler, leader”).

## Easily confused with
- **oligarchy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/oligarch-vs-oligarchy)

## Common misspellings (12)
`loigarch`, `oilgarch`, `olgiarch`, `oliagrch`, `oligacrh`, `oligarcch`, `oligarchh`, `oligarhc`, `oligarrch`, `oliggarch`, `oligrach`, `olligarch`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/oligarch