IPO
|I/P/O|
🇺🇸
/ˌaɪ.piːˈoʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˌaɪ.piːˈəʊ/
first public stock sale
Etymology
'IPO' originates from the financial term 'Initial Public Offering', where 'initial' means 'first', 'public' refers to 'the general public', and 'offering' means 'presenting for sale'.
The term 'IPO' was first used in the financial sector in the 20th century to describe the process of a company offering its shares to the public for the first time.
Initially, it meant 'the first sale of stock by a private company to the public', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
initial Public Offering; the first sale of stock by a private company to the public.
The company raised $100 million in its IPO.
Synonyms
Noun 2
international Purchasing Office; a company office located in a foreign country to manage purchasing activities.
The firm opened an IPO in China to streamline its supply chain.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:42