shareholder

UK: ˈʃeəhəʊldə | US: ˈʃerhoʊldər

Definition

  1. n. a person or institution that owns shares in a company or corporation

  2. n. (legal) an individual with partial ownership rights in a business entity

Structure
share <portion>hold <possess>er <agent suffix>
Etymology

The word "shareholder" combines three morphemes:

  1. Share (from Old English scearu, meaning "a cutting, division, portion") reflects the idea of dividing ownership into parts.
  2. Hold (from Old English healdan, meaning "to grasp or possess") signifies ownership or control.
  3. -er (agentive suffix) indicates a person who performs the action (here, owning shares).
    The term emerged in the early 18th century alongside the rise of joint-stock companies, logically blending "share" (partial ownership) and "holder" (owner) to describe investors.
Examples

  1. The shareholder voted against the proposed merger.

  2. As a major shareholder, she receives annual dividends.

  3. The company’s shareholders will meet next week to discuss profits.

  4. Activist shareholders demanded changes to the board’s policies.

  5. Small shareholders often lack influence compared to institutional investors.