dividend

Etymology

From Middle French dividende, from Latin dividendum (“thing to be divided”), future passive participle of divido (“to divide”), by surface analysis, divide +‎ -end.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪvɪdɛnd/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

dividend (plural dividends)

1. (finance) A cash payment of money by a company to its shareholders, usually made periodically (e.g., quarterly or annually).
   • 1861, Laws of Pennsylvania of the Session of 1861, page 511:

     On all dividends which do not exceed six per centum per annum, eight per centum; on dividends exceeding six per centum and not exceeding seven per centum, a tax of nine per centum...

2. (arithmetic) A number or expression that is to be divided by another.

   In "42 ÷ 3" the dividend is the 42.

3. (figuratively) Beneficial results from a metaphorical investment (of time, effort, etc.)

   His 10,000 hours of practice and recitals eventually paid dividends when he become first-chair violinist.

   • 2012, Cameron Haley, Retribution‎:

     That blood and pain paid a dividend, too, even when the subject wasn't a sorcerer.

   • 2014, Bobby Adair, Slow Burn: Dead Fire, Book 4:‎:

     The money I'd spent on getting scuba certified was about to pay a dividend. My half-baked escape plan came together.

   • 2016, Christina Stead, The Beauties and Furies‎, page 163:

     'Why not: you, Elvira, will shortly pay a dividend, that is, have a child.'

Verb

dividend (third-person singular simple present dividends, present participle dividending, simple past and past participle dividended)

1. (transitive) To pay out a dividend.
   • 1997, Shareholder Rights, Oppression and Good Faith, page 40:

     He held instead that the words "sell or otherwise dispose of" in Clause 2 of the Shareholders' Agreement prevented the dividending of the shares in Hawker Holdings to the shareholders of Hawker Siddeley […]

   • 2007, Kevin K. Boeh, Paul W. Beamish, Mergers and Acquisitions: Text and Cases, page 324:

     Therefore, $125 million of 1983 Preferred Shares (Blue Jay) would be tendered for retirement with $135 million of the $370 million dividended up to Blue Jay.

See also

Other terms used in arithmetic operations:

Advanced hyperoperations: tetration, pentation, hexation

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [di.βiˈðen]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic, Valencia) [di.viˈðent]

Noun

dividend m (plural dividends)

1. (arithmetic) dividend
2. (finance) dividend

Further reading

• “dividend” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Etymology

Borrowed from French dividende.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.viˈdend/

Noun

dividend n (plural dividende)

1. dividend

Further reading

• dividend in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

Noun

dividend c

1. (arithmetic) dividend
2. (finance, Finland) dividend