public company

American  

noun

British.

1. a company that has more than 50 shareholders and whose shares are offered for public subscription.

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public company British  

noun

1. a limited company whose shares may be purchased by the public and traded freely on the open market and whose share capital is not less than a statutory minimum; public limited company Compare private company

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public company Cultural  

1. A company that sells shares in itself to the public to raise capital. When a previously privately owned company offers shares, it is said to “go public.”

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Example Sentences

Figma’s first year as a public company hasn’t gone well, and now an activist investor is involved.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

The French state has had effective control of the group as a French public company holds a significant stake, with Germany's Wegmann family owning the other part.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Mastercard has been a public company for 20 years, but it’s been operating for almost 60 years.

From MarketWatch • May 25, 2026

The executive has complained, at times, that he dislikes running a public company.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Exeter Hall has been erected by subscription, by a public company established for the purpose.

From The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 17, No. 494, June 18, 1831 by Various