bearer share
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈbɛrər ʃɛr/
- Archaic
:
acción al portador
- He found a box containing several bearer shares that had been forgotten for years.
Examples
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Because bearer shares are unregistered, they pose a higher risk of being used for money laundering.
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In the past, many companies issued bearer shares for ease of transfer.
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Several countries have enacted laws to restrict or eliminate bearer shares.
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He bought a bearer share for the company.
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The bearer shares were transferred easily.
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The investor transferred the bearer shares to a new brokerage for better management.
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Only those in possession of the bearer shares have the right to vote at the annual meeting.
Synonyms
416
3.7
One equal part of a company that you can buy
3
5.4
A paper that shows you own shares in a company
A paper showing you own part of a company that belongs to whoever holds it
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a share certificate owned by whoever holds it' is directly derivable from combining 'bearer' (a person in possession) with 'share' (a unit of company ownership). Although it is a legal/technical term, the noun–noun composition transparently signals that possession determines ownership, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Bearer share comes from the simple idea of a paper share that names no owner: the bearer, meaning the person who holds the paper, is treated as the 'owner' of the share. So the term means a share certificate that belongs to whoever holds it, which is why such shares can be moved in secret or used without telling who owns them.