buyout
UK[ˈbaɪaʊt]US[ˈbaɪaʊt]
n
the purchase of a controlling share in a company.
n
the purchase of the entire holdings of a company or investor.
Morpheme Breakdown
buy
out
buy
out
Etymology
the compound noun 'buyout' is a modern formation from the core english verb 'buy' and the adverbial particle 'out'. the verb 'buy' traces back to proto-germanic bugjaną, meaning "to acquire, purchase." the particle 'out', from proto-germanic ūt, conveys a sense of completion or totality. when combined, the phrase "to buy out" originally meant to purchase someone's share completely, thereby removing them from a business venture. this literal sense of purchasing to secure a full exit evolved into the specific financial term for acquiring controlling or total ownership of a company.
Analysis
Structure: buy + out
buy (from old english 'bycgan', meaning to acquire by payment; verb root). out (from old english 'ūt', meaning external, forth, completely; adverbial particle).
Examples
the management team led a leveraged buyout of the company.
the investor received a generous buyout offer for his shares.
the corporate buyout resulted in significant restructuring.