merger

[mur-jer]

noun

1. a statutory combination of two or more corporations by the transfer of the properties to one surviving corporation.

2. any combination of two or more business enterprises into a single enterprise.

3. an act or instance of merging.

   Astronomers say that the merger of galaxies can take a billion years.

4. Phonetics.,  the process or phenomenon whereby two distinct speech sounds come to be pronounced identically: for instance, the cot–caught vowel merger has taken place in some dialects of English.

merger

/ ˈmɜːdʒə /

noun

1. Often called (Brit): amalgamation. commerce the combination of two or more companies, either by the creation of a new organization or by absorption by one of the others

2. law the extinguishment of an estate, interest, contract, right, offence, etc, by its absorption into a greater one

3. the act of merging or the state of being merged

merger

1. The union of two or more independent corporations under a single ownership. Also known as takeovers, mergers may be friendly or hostile. In the latter case, the buying company, having met with resistance from directors of the targeted company, usually offers an inflated (overmarket) price to persuade stockholders of the targeted company to sell their shares to it. Such mergers often have been financed by junk bonds.

Especially common in the 1980s, hostile takeovers have become highly controversial. Some contend that they bring needed infusions of capital and efficiency to the targeted company. Others argue that, having borrowed heavily to finance the merger, the buyer is forced to sell valuable assets of the targeted company to pay off its debt.

Other Word Forms

• antimerger adjective
• demerger noun
• premerger adjective
• promerger adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of merger¹

First recorded in 1720–30; merge + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Speaking to reporters after the merger, David Ellison, whose track record of political giving shows contributions to Democrats last year, said he wanted to avoid being associated with either the left or the right.

From BBC

UK takeover and merger rules dictate that, having had an expression of interest rejected, Earick's consortium must make an offer by that date or announce he is not intending to do so.

From BBC

Between the settlement and merger approval, CBS announced it is canceling “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Glasgow University principal says there will be a need for more of them to share resources and show they are operating efficiently, with mergers being an option.

From BBC

According to CNBC, Sinclair is exploring merger options for its broadcast business.

From Salon

Related Words

• combination 
• takeover 
• tie up 
• unification 
• union