repurchase
noun
Repurchase — the deliberate act of buying back a previously sold asset
Definition
The act of purchasing back something previously sold
In depth
Repurchase is the act of purchasing back something previously sold, the plain, transparent English equivalent of 'redemption' in its financial sense, commonly used in corporate finance to describe a company buying back its own shares from the market. The word names a deliberate strategic financial decision rather than a passive maturity event.
Origin
The word combines the prefix 're-,' again, with 'purchase,' from Old French porchacier, to pursue eagerly. Its plain, transparent construction, simply 'purchasing again,' contrasts with the more elevated, Latinate 'redemption,' offering a straightforward alternative particularly favored in modern financial and business writing.
Usage examples
"The company's stock repurchase program was designed to boost share value by reducing the total number of shares outstanding."
"Analysts debated whether the repurchase represented genuine confidence in the company's future or merely a short-term attempt to inflate metrics."
"She negotiated the repurchase of the property years after having reluctantly sold it during a difficult financial period."
How to use it
Repurchase is precise financial and commercial vocabulary, particularly common in corporate finance discussing stock buyback programs, useful wherever a writer needs clear, plain English terminology for the deliberate reacquisition of a previously sold asset.
Related concepts
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