IPO

noun

ˌī-(ˌ)pē-ˈō How to pronounce IPO (audio)
plural IPOs
: an initial public offering of a company's stock

Examples of IPO in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Chan-jin said regulators were examining whether the IPO would require a review under the country's rules designed to protect minority shareholders. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 The best deals go to a few firms, with others given a sliver at frothy valuations or locked out until an IPO. — Diane Brady, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 The pattern was established two years ago with the Versant spinoff, which was proposed in late 2024 and completed a year later ahead of Versant’s January IPO. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for IPO

Word History

Etymology

initial public offering

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of IPO was in 1976

Browse Nearby Words

IPM
IPO
Ipoh
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“IPO.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/IPO. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Legal Definition

IPO

noun
ˌī-ˌpē-ˈō How to pronounce IPO (audio)
: an initial public offering of a company's stock
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