Duopoly

Extracted Attributes

• Etymology

  Derived from Greek 'duo' (two) and 'polein' (to sell)

• Economic Impact

  Decisions of one firm are strictly dependent on the actions of the other competitor

• Market Category

  Oligopoly

• Canadian Terminology

  Referred to as a 'twinstick' in the context of broadcast ownership

• US Broadcast Definition

  A single company owning two media outlets in the same city (technically distinct from the economic definition)

• Primary Competitive Models

  Cournot, Bertrand, and Stackelberg

Timeline

• The term 'duopoly' enters defined usage according to Merriam-Webster. (Source: Merriam-Webster)

  1920-01-01

• The All-In Podcast (Episode 162) discusses the Boeing/Airbus duopoly as an example of market failure and regulatory capture following the World Economic Forum. (Source: All-In Podcast (fb009ead-fe3d-4f58-bfc8-0a9d2c19cec9))

  2024-01-19

Duopoly

A duopoly (from Greek δύο, duo 'two'; and πωλεῖν, polein 'to sell') is a type of oligopoly where two firms have dominant or exclusive control over a market, and most (if not all) of the competition within that market occurs directly between them. Duopoly is the most commonly studied form of oligopoly due to its simplicity. Duopolies sell to consumers in a competitive market where the choice of an individual consumer choice cannot affect the firm in a duopoly market, as the defining characteristic of duopolies is that decisions made by each seller are dependent on what the other competitor does. Duopolies can exist in various forms, such as Cournot, Bertrand, or Stackelberg competition. These models demonstrate how firms in a duopoly can compete on output or price, depending on the assumptions made about firm behavior and market conditions. Similar features are discernible in national political systems of party duopoly.

Web Search Results

• Duopoly - Wikipedia

  Duopoly is the most commonly studied form of oligopoly due to its simplicity. Duopolies sell to consumers in a competitive market where the choice of an individual consumer choice cannot affect the firm in a duopoly market, as the defining characteristic of duopolies is that decisions made by each seller are dependent on what the other competitor does. Duopolies can exist in various forms, such as Cournot, Bertrand, or Stackelberg competition. These models demonstrate how firms in a duopoly can [...] A duopoly (from Greek δύο, duo 'two'; and πωλεῖν, polein 'to sell') is a type of oligopoly where two firms have dominant or exclusive control over a market, and most (if not all) of the competition "Competition (economics)") within that market occurs directly between them. [...] Duopoly "Duopoly (broadcasting)") is used in the United States broadcast television and radio industry to refer to a single company owning two outlets in the same city. This usage is technically incompatible with the normal definition of the word and may lead to confusion, inasmuch as there are generally more than two owners of broadcast television stations in markets with broadcast duopolies. In Canada, this definition is therefore more commonly called a "twinstick". ## See also icon

• Duopoly - Overview, Examples, and Types of Oligopolies

  # Duopoly Two primary corporations operating in a market or industry, producing the same or similar goods and services ## What is a Duopoly? A duopoly is a type of oligopoly, characterized by two primary corporations operating in a market or industry, producing the same or similar goods and services. The key components of a duopoly are how the firms interact with one another and how they affect one another. Duopoly Duopoly [...] In a duopoly, two companies control virtually the entirety of the market for the goods and services they produce and sell. While other companies may operate in the same space, the defining feature of a duopoly is the fact that only two companies are considered major players. The two companies – and their interactions with one another – shape the market they operate in. ### Types of Duopolies [...] essentially divide the market in half and share it.

• Duopoly: Definition in Economics, Types, and Examples - Investopedia

  ## Understanding a Duopoly In a duopoly, two competing businesses control the majority of the market sector for a particular product or service they provide. A business can be part of a duopoly even if it provides other services that do not fall into that market sector. [...] A duopoly exists when two companies dominate a market for a given product or service. A duopoly can have the same impact on the market as a monopoly if the two players collude on prices or output. ## What Is an Example of a Duopoly? An example of a duopoly is the dominance that Apple and Samsung have over the smartphone market. ## Is a Duopoly an Oligopoly? A duopoly is the most basic form of oligopoly, which is a market dominated by a small number of companies. ## The Bottom Line [...] The Cournot duopoly model states that the quantity of goods or services produced structures the competition between companies in an industry. According to the model, the two companies decide collaboratively to split the market. If one company alters its production levels, the other company must also alter its production to maintain the equilibrium of a 50/50 split of the market.

• Monopolies and Duopolies: Competition is for Losers? - Quartr

  Duopolies in various industries: Duopolies such as Boeing and Airbus in the commercial aircraft industry, and Intel and AMD in the PC CPU market, underscoring how two companies can dominate an industry, influencing pricing power and business endurance. [...] Walmart and Costco dominate the American retail sector. Yet their combined market share, roughly 12% of U.S. retail, is significantly lower compared to other duopolies discussed in this article. Given the retail market size, the lack of scalable business models, and the reliance on physical infrastructure, this 12% represents an enormous portion of the market concentrated in just two players. Therefore, it's still arguably correct to classify the two as a duopoly. [...] Through a detailed exploration of historical and contemporary examples, including Standard Oil, AT&T, Microsoft, Google, and notable duopolies like Boeing and Airbus, as well as Intel and AMD, the article underscores the significant impact these entities have on their respective industries. These monopolies and duopolies not only illustrate the immense profitability and market control achievable but also highlight the regulatory scrutiny they face. PWKK

• DUOPOLY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

  link icon link icon link icon Definition Definition # duopoly ## noun How to pronounce duopoly (audio) How to pronounce duopoly (audio) ## Examples of duopoly in a Sentence ## Word History duo- + -poly (as in monopoly) 1920, in the meaning defined at sense 1 ## Rhymes for duopoly ## Browse Nearby Words ## Cite this Entry “Duopoly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Accessed 5 Jan. 2026. ## Share ## More from Merriam-Webster on duopoly [...] © 2026 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

• Instance Of

  Q4167410