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shareholder
/ˈʃeərˌhoʊldər/
person who owns shares in a company
As a shareholder, she has voting rights at the annual meeting.
This example shows a shareholder exercising their rights in a company.
Finance
formal
An individual or entity that legally owns one or more shares of a company's stock, representing ownership and entitlement to dividends and voting rights.
The company announced a dividend increase to reward its shareholders.
This shows shareholders receiving financial benefits from their investment.
Shareholders voted to approve the merger during the annual general meeting.
This demonstrates shareholders exercising their voting rights.
Shareholders may be individuals, institutional investors, or other corporations.
Collocations
major shareholdera person or entity owning a significant portion of a company's sharesinstitutional shareholdera large organization (e.g., pension fund) that owns shares in a companyshareholder valuethe financial benefit or return expected by shareholders
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Voting Rights
Shareholders typically have voting rights proportional to their share ownership, allowing them to influence company decisions.
Gold Rule
Legal Rights
Shareholders have legal rights, including the right to dividends and to inspect company records, depending on jurisdiction.
Word Origin
From 'share' (a portion of ownership) + 'holder' (one who possesses). The term emerged in the 17th century with the rise of joint-stock companies.
Usage Notes
In legal and financial contexts, 'shareholder' is often used interchangeably with 'stockholder,' though some jurisdictions distinguish between the two.
Word Breakdown
share
a unit of ownership in a company
rootholder
one who possesses or owns
rootEnglish Dictionary