dividend

American  

[div-i-dend] / ˈdɪv ɪˌdɛnd /

noun

• dividends
  plural

1. Mathematics. a number that is to be divided by a divisor.

2. Law. a sum out of an insolvent estate paid to creditors.

3. Finance.

   1. a pro-rata share in an amount to be distributed.

   2. a sum of money paid to shareholders of a corporation out of earnings.

4. Insurance. (in participating insurance) a distribution to a policyholder of a portion of the premium not needed by the company to pay claims or to meet expenses.

5. a share of anything divided.

   Synonyms:

   portion, allotment

6. anything received as a bonus, reward, or in addition to or beyond what is expected.

   Swimming is fun, and gives you the dividend of better health.

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dividend British  

/ ˈdɪvɪˌdɛnd /

noun

1. finance

   1. a distribution from the net profits of a company to its shareholders

   2. a pro-rata portion of this distribution received by a shareholder

2. the share of a cooperative society's surplus allocated at the end of a period to members

3. insurance a sum of money distributed from a company's net profits to the holders of certain policies

4. something extra; bonus

5. a number or quantity to be divided by another number or quantity Compare divisor

6. law the proportion of an insolvent estate payable to the creditors

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dividend Scientific  

/ dĭv′ĭ-dĕnd′ /

1. A number divided by another. In the equation 15 ÷ 3 = 5, 15 is the dividend.

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dividend Cultural  

1. A payment to the stockholders of a corporation from the corporation's earnings.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• superdividend
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dividends
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dividend

First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin dīvidendum “thing to be divided,” neuter gerund of dīvidere “to separate”; see divide

Explanation

A dividend is a bonus. If you buy a cup of coffee and the shop owner throws in a free muffin, that's a dividend. Your charm and loyal patronage are paying dividends! If you own stock and your company has had a good year, you’ll probably get a dividend — a share of the profit the company pays to shareholders. You've probably also heard the word dividend in math class: if you've got 300 divided by 50, 300 is the dividend (and 50 is the divisor).

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dividend dividends

They estimate the Chinese lender to offer a dividend yield of more than 5.0% for 2026-2027 at its current valuation, after Bank of Communications raised its dividend payout ratio to 31% from 30%, they say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Nine is trading a price-to-earnings multiple of 10x, with a dividend yield of more than 7%, says Jefferies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Management on Thursday said the company board approved a quarterly dividend payment of 25 cents a share, a 36% cut from the previous quarterly dividend payment of 39 cents a share.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Still, shares of Campbell’s slid 8.9% on Thursday, thanks to a dividend cut and expectations for falling overall sales.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026

Tire peace dividend changed the region once again, and now it is best known for the great gambling casinos of Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods and for the pharmaceutical researchers of Pfizer.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

A First Eagle value investor likes Noble, Kesko, and Becton Dickinson for their dividends and growth potential.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Kong hasn’t factored in potential higher dividends, as RHB might need to retain capital to support loan growth while maintaining ROE at around 10%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Analysts at Citi said they expect PG&E to cut down on its capital-investment program; reallocate some money towards dividends, stock buybacks and debt reduction; and try to reengage politicians in Sacramento next year.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

It says the miner’s resumption of dividends is a signal of returning balance-sheet strength.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

South Korea’s obsession with achievement has paid astonishing dividends.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Related Words

• allowance
• bonus
• coupon
• gain
• premium
• proceeds
• remittance
• reward
• surplus