private company

noun British.

a company whose shareholders may not exceed 50 in number and whose shares may not be offered for public subscription.
Compare public company.

Origin of private company

First recorded in 1905–10

Words nearby private company

privatdocent, private, private bar, private bill, private brand, private company, private detective, private duty nurse, private enterprise, private equity, private equity fund

British Dictionary definitions for private company

private company

noun

a limited company that does not issue shares for public subscription and whose owners do not enjoy an unrestricted right to transfer their shareholdings Compare public company