'stockholder' originates from the combination of 'stock' and 'holder', where 'stock' refers to the capital raised by a company through the issue of shares, and 'holder' refers to someone who possesses or owns something.

'stockholder' evolved from the earlier term 'stock-holder' used in the 18th century, which eventually became the modern English word 'stockholder'.

Initially, it meant 'one who holds stock', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.