GREENMAIL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does greenmail mean? 

• GREENMAIL (noun)
  The noun GREENMAIL has 1 sense:

1. (corporation) the practice of purchasing enough shares in a firm to threaten a takeover and thereby forcing the owners to buy those shares back at a premium in order to stay in business

  Familiarity information: GREENMAIL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GREENMAIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(corporation) the practice of purchasing enough shares in a firm to threaten a takeover and thereby forcing the owners to buy those shares back at a premium in order to stay in business

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("greenmail" is a kind of...):

porcupine provision; shark repellent (a measure undertaken by a corporation to discourage unwanted takeover attempts)

Domain category:

corp; corporation (a business firm whose articles of incorporation have been approved in some state)