dividend
noun
div·i·dend
ˈdi-və-ˌdend 
-dənd
1
: an individual share of something distributed: such as
a
: a share in a pro rata distribution (as of profits) to stockholders
Profits are distributed to shareholders as dividends.
b
: a share of surplus allocated to a policyholder in a participating insurance policy
3
a
mathematics
: a number to be divided
b
: a sum or fund to be divided and distributed
Synonyms
Examples of dividend in a Sentence
Profits are distributed to shareholders as dividends.
the reward money was an unexpected dividend for our good deed
Recent Examples on the Web
But that’s not all—Shell has also paid significant dividends to its shareholders, who’ll miss out if the company shifts to America.
—
Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 9 Apr. 2024
That mindset paid immediate dividends against New Mexico.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Imagine nabbing a double-digit-yielding fund that not only doesn’t lose money or cut payouts, but actually grows them and pays special dividends along the way.
—Michael Foster, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The liberal economic advocacy group Groundwork Collaborative, for instance, compiled a list of times when corporate executives extolled their profits or price increases, and talked of issuing stock buybacks, increasing dividends or benefiting from high prices or high interest rates.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
That included almost $160 billion in interest and $387 billion in dividends.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
That would exclude anyone with income or losses from a small business, for example, or whose investments pay more than $1,500 in dividends.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Water companies in England and Wales have racked up billions of pounds of debt since they were sold to private investors in 1989, while raising little new funding from shareholders and paying out billions of pounds in dividends.
—Anna Cooban, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Following its annual general meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, SM Entertainment also announced a 1,200-won ($0.89) per-share dividend totaling 28.1 billion won ($20.8 million).
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
Byprarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 9 Apr. 2024
That mindset paid immediate dividends against New Mexico.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
Imagine nabbing a double-digit-yielding fund that not only doesn’t lose money or cut payouts, but actually grows them and pays special dividends along the way.
—Michael Foster, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The liberal economic advocacy group Groundwork Collaborative, for instance, compiled a list of times when corporate executives extolled their profits or price increases, and talked of issuing stock buybacks, increasing dividends or benefiting from high prices or high interest rates.
—Marc Levy, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024
That included almost $160 billion in interest and $387 billion in dividends.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
That would exclude anyone with income or losses from a small business, for example, or whose investments pay more than $1,500 in dividends.
—Jon Healey, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Water companies in England and Wales have racked up billions of pounds of debt since they were sold to private investors in 1989, while raising little new funding from shareholders and paying out billions of pounds in dividends.
—Anna Cooban, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Following its annual general meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, SM Entertainment also announced a 1,200-won ($0.89) per-share dividend totaling 28.1 billion won ($20.8 million).
—Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dividend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dividend
Cite this Entry
“Dividend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dividend. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dividend
noun
div·i·dend
ˈdiv-ə-ˌdend
-əd-ənd
Legal Definition
dividend
noun
div·i·dend
ˈdi-və-ˌdend
1
: the part of corporate net earnings distributed usually periodically (as quarterly) to stockholders in the form of cash, additional shares, or property either as a set amount per share or a percentage of par value
—
constructive dividend
: a benefit (as unreasonable compensation or use of corporate property) or transfer of funds from a corporation to a shareholder that is interpreted by a taxing authority as a dividend
—
cumulative dividend
: a dividend distributed to preferred stockholders that is added to and paid with the next payment or future payments if not paid when due
—
extraordinary dividend
: a dividend declared in addition to a regular dividend because of unanticipated profits or a nonrecurring increase of revenue
2
: a share of the surplus earnings of a mutual insurance company paid to policyholders either in the form of cash disbursements or through reduction of premiums
3
: a payment disbursed to investors from the income of a mutual fund
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