company

1 of 2

noun

com·​pa·​ny ˈkəmp-nē How to pronounce company (audio)
ˈkəm-pə-
plural companies
often attributive
1
a
: association with another : fellowship
enjoy a person's company
b
: companions, associates
know a person by the company she keeps
c
: visitors, guests
having company for dinner
2
a
: a group of persons or things
a company of horsemen
b
: a body of soldiers
especially : a unit (as of infantry) consisting usually of a headquarters and two or more platoons
c
: an organization of performing artists
a company of actors
d
: the officers and crew of a ship
The captain called a meeting of the ship's company.
e
: a firefighting unit
A hose company was first to arrive at the scene of the fire.
3
a
: a chartered commercial organization or medieval trade guild
b
: an association of persons for carrying on a commercial or industrial enterprise
electric companies
a publishing company
c
: those members of a partnership firm whose names do not appear in the firm name
John Doe and Company

company

2 of 2

verb

companied; companying

transitive verb

: accompany
… may … fair winds company your safe return.John Masefield

Examples of company in a Sentence

Noun He runs his own trucking company. She joined the company last year. The company is based in Paris. Her dogs are her only company these days. You can tell a lot about people by the company they keep. Verb in her sermon the minister noted that Jesus had companied with the least privileged and most disadvantaged members of society may the Good Lord company you on your journey home
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s secretive arm devoted to theme park experiences, likes to say that there are more than 100 job classifications among its ranks. Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The proposal also calls for about $50 million to develop the company's semiconductor and construction workforces. The Arizona Republic, 20 Mar. 2024 The amount represents 1% of the company’s total shares. Rachyl Jones, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024 In 2021, California’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse, and the district attorneys of Alameda, Marin, Santa Cruz, and Los Angeles counties sued all of Mariner’s 19 skilled nursing facilities in California and the company’s corporate management. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 Garvie made a few polite jabs at Sony’s indie competition, the likes of Banijay and Fremantle, who have been actively gobbling up international production companies in an buying spree over the past few years. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024 Today, the complex is the headquarters of Here Be Dragons (HBD), the conservation, agroforestry and hospitality arms of a company altruistically dedicated to preserving everything that makes Príncipe special: the natural world. Catherine Fairweather, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Mar. 2024 Bon Appétit, a company that runs more than 1,000 cafés in colleges and corporations, including Google, signed on to the Fair Food program in 2009. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 Her husband Roosevelt established Roosevelt Burrell Jr. & Son Construction Co. Inc., a residential and commercial building construction company. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'company.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English companie, from cumpaignie, from cumpaing companion — more at companion

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of company was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near company

Cite this Entry

“Company.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/company. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

company

noun
com·​pa·​ny
ˈkəmp-(ə-)nē
plural companies
1
a
: association with another : fellowship
enjoy a person's company
b
: a person's companions or associates
known by the company you keep
c
: guests or visitors especially at one's home
we have company
2
a
: a group of persons or things
b
: a body of soldiers
especially : a unit consisting of two or more platoons
c
: an organization of musical or dramatic performers
an opera company
d
: the officers and crew of a ship
e
: a firefighting unit
3
a
: an association of persons carrying on a business
b
: those members of a partnership whose names do not appear in the firm name
Doe and Company
Etymology

Noun

Middle English companie "company, fellowship," from early French cumpaingie (same meaning), derived from Latin companio "companion" — related to accompany, companion

Legal Definition

company

noun
com·​pa·​ny
plural companies
: an association of persons for carrying on a commercial or industrial enterprise compare corporation, partnership
finance company
: a company that makes usually small short-term loans to individuals
growth company
: a company that grows at a greater rate than the economy as a whole and that usually directs a relatively high proportion of income back into the business
holding company
: a company whose sole function is to own and control other companies
investment company
: a company that earns income solely or primarily by holding and investing in securities issued by other companies or by government agencies
joint-stock company
: a business organization whose capital is represented by shares owned by stockholders each of whom is personally liable for the company's debts
limited liability company
: an unincorporated company formed under applicable state statute whose members cannot be held liable for the acts, debts, or obligations of the company and that may elect to be taxed as a partnership
mutual company
: an insurance company whose capital is owned by its policyholders
surety company
: a company that provides surety bonds for a fee
trust company
: a company and often a commercial bank acting as trustee for individuals and businesses and providing related financial or estate planning services

More from Merriam-Webster on company

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