cartel
/kaʁˈtɛw/masculine
The Portuguese word for 'cartel' is cartel.
The term cartel is used to describe a group of businesses or nations that collude to fix prices or control production within a specific market.
Meaning: group of businesses or nations that collude to fix prices (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cartel is a formal term, another formal option available is truste (trust).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, people more commonly use the term quadrilha to refer to a cartel.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cartel is cartéis.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaʁˈtɛw/
Did you know?
- The word cartel is borrowed from French, which originally used it to describe a written agreement between belligerents during a war.
- In Portuguese legal contexts, the term cartel is often linked to crime contra a ordem econômica, meaning 'crime against the economic order'. This treats price-fixing as an offense against the state rather than just a business dispute.
- While cartel refers to price-fixing, the Brazilian term quadrilha literally means 'gang' or 'four people'. It is used in common speech to describe an organized criminal group regardless of whether they fix prices.
Examples in context
- Os governos estão investigando o cartel de empresas de petróleo.The governments are investigating the oil companies' cartel.
- O cartel de cimento foi desmantelado.The cement cartel was dismantled.
- Eles criaram um cartel para controlar os preços.They created a cartel to control prices.
- O governo investiga o novo cartel de energia.The government is investigating the new energy cartel.
Example conversation
Two colleagues discuss a recent news report about market manipulation.
- LucasVocê viu a notícia sobre o cartel de combustíveis?Did you see the news about the fuel cartel?
- BeatrizVi sim, Lucas. É um escândalo enorme.I did, Lucas. It is a huge scandal.
- LucasEles estão manipulando o mercado há anos.They have been manipulating the market for years.
- BeatrizEspero que a justiça puna esse cartel rapidamente.I hope justice punishes this cartel quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cartel” translations and entries cartel, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cartel, CC BY-SA 4.0.
