crowdfunding

American  

[kroud-fuhn-ding] / ˈkraʊdˌfʌn dɪŋ /

Or crowd-funding

noun

1. the activity or process of raising money from a large number of people, typically through a website, as for a project or small business.

---

Other Word Forms

• crowdfund verb (used with or without object)
• crowdfunded adjective

Etymology

Origin of crowdfunding

First recorded in 2005–10; crowd ¹ + fund + -ing ¹

Explanation

Crowdfunding is raising money online for a business or project. Most successful crowdfunding ventures get donations from a large number of people. If you've always wanted to open a bookstore but don't have the money to buy books and rent a space, you could try crowdfunding. Online platforms allow would-be entrepreneurs to describe their business ideas and invite people to donate. Crowdfunding is used to raise money for art projects, travel, and medical expenses that aren't covered by insurance. The term dates from around 2010, coined from crowd, "large group of people," and fund, "supply with money."

Example Sentences

The trial is just the latest in a long line of controversies to blight the once-revered abode, which is currently owned by developer Steven “Bo” Belmont, CEO of “real estate crowdfunding firm” Belwood Investments.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026

About 200,000 people put money into the in-house crowdfunding scheme, which launched in 2009 and offered discounts and other perks.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Purchased through community crowdfunding, the vehicle has become a symbol of how local residents stepped in to help Nepal's police rebuild after one of the most violent episodes of unrest in recent years.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

But the site’s Ross fundraiser, which has raised more than $171,000, reveals an even darker side of these crowdfunding efforts.

From Slate • Jan. 13, 2026

The company secured funding through equity crowdfunding and on the TV show “Shark Tank,” and is also developing prototypes for arms and legs.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025