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shareholder

American  
[shair-hohl-der] / ˈʃɛərˌhoʊl dər /

noun

  1. a holder or owner of shares, share, especially in a company or corporation.

shareholder British  
/ ˈʃɛəˌhəʊldə /

noun

  1. the owner of one or more shares in a company

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • nonshareholder noun
  • shareholding noun

Etymology

Origin of shareholder

First recorded in 1785–95; share 1 + holder

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A more consolidated industry is now focused on shareholder returns over new projects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Meanwhile, OpenAI raised more than $3 billion from individual investors through banks and said it would be included in several exchange-traded funds managed by Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest, as it broadens its shareholder base.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

In the filing, Rocket Lab said Beck’s focus is on shareholder value rather than short-term cash or incentives.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Mudrick Capital, Vertical’s largest shareholder, agreed to restructure some existing debt and participate in the offering.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

He became Avant!’s single largest shareholder; he pressed management for changes.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.