anti-trust
UK[ˌæntiˈtrʌst]US[ˌæntiˈtrʌst, ˌæntaɪˈtrʌst]
adj
relating to legislation or actions designed to prevent or restrict business practices that unfairly limit competition, such as monopolies or price-fixing.
Morpheme Breakdown
anti
trust
anti
against
trust
commercial monopoly
Etymology
The term "antitrust" is a distinctly American legal formation from the late 19th century. It combines the Greek-derived prefix "anti-" (against) with the common English word "trust," which had acquired a specific economic meaning. In the Gilded Age, large corporations used legal "trusts" to consolidate control over entire industries, stifling competition. Thus, "antitrust" laws and actions were literally conceived as being "against the trusts," aiming to dismantle these monopolistic structures and restore competitive markets.
Analysis
Structure: anti (against) + trust (commercial monopoly)
- anti: From Greek, via Latin and French. A prefix meaning "against," "opposite of," or "in opposition to."
- trust: From Old Norse 'traust' (confidence, help), via Old English. In this compound, it refers specifically to a large business combination or monopoly that reduces competition.
Examples
The government filed an antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant for allegedly stifling competition.
Strong antitrust enforcement is considered crucial for a healthy capitalist economy.
The merger was approved only after the companies agreed to certain antitrust conditions.