IPO

American  

abbreviation

1. initial public offering: a company's first stock offering to the public.

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IPO British  

abbreviation

1. independent publicly owned company

2. stock exchange initial public offering

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IPO Cultural  

1. Abbreviation for i nitial p ublic o ffering; the first issuance of shares in itself by a public company.

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Etymology

Origin of IPO

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

That would make the Jersey Mike’s IPO bigger than other recent restaurant IPOs.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 20, 2026

Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, Barclays and UBS Investment Bank are the lead book-running managers for the IPO, according to Cerebras.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

A spokesperson said the IPO is set for mid-May.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

For years, there’s been speculation about whether Goop will IPO or be acquired, as well as when it will become profitable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The other, he said, are American investment banks and financial services companies, which often need to prepare glossy pamphlets with graphs to illustrate the benefits of an IPO or a proposed merger.

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