What does stock mean?
Stock is a common English noun with several related senses. In commerce, it means merchandise, raw materials, or other supplies held for sale or use; as an uncountable mass noun, it names that supply. In finance, stock refers to an individual share in a company, while stocks refers to share ownership collectively. Stock can also mean reserves, ancestral lineage, a standard model, broth, gunpowder, or plant material used as a grafting root. The related verb means to furnish something with supplies or to populate it, especially with plants; the adjective stock describes items currently available or a standard form. The word's meanings all connect around what is accumulated, available, or used as a foundation. Its history begins with a tree trunk, from which developed the sense of a storehouse and then stored goods. As a result, stock can describe both what a business has on hand and what it offers to investors.
A supply of goods, materials, or other items held for sale or use; an ownership share in a company; or a related sense such as reserves, ancestry, broth, gunpowder, or grafting material.
"The store ordered more inventory because several popular products were out of stock."
Stock is countable when referring to individual financial shares or discrete items, but often uncountable when naming a general supply.
To furnish a shop, household, or other place with goods or supplies; to fill an area with plants or animals; or to issue shares to investors.
"The farm stocked its orchard with several varieties of apple tree."
The verb is common in commercial and horticultural contexts. The related phrasal verb stock up means to accumulate supplies.
Currently available for sale or use, or existing in a standard or usual form.
"The retailer sells a stock version of the camera without additional features."
As an adjective, stock is usually restricted to established combinations and commonly describes a standard form rather than a customized one.
Stocks is the standard plural when stock refers to financial shares, discrete goods, or individual items. Stock used for a general supply or ancestry is normally uncountable.
"The company's shares rose sharply, and investors sold some of their stocks."
From the trunk of a tree to a shop full of inventory, 'stock' carries much of the history of commerce in one short word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of stock
The English word descends from Old English stoc, meaning a tree trunk or standing timber, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stokaz. Related Germanic cognates include Old Norse stokr, Dutch stok, and German Stock. The word later developed a sense for stored goods and from that usage came the modern commercial and financial meanings. The related words stake, stack, and stook preserve cognate forms associated with the same Germanic root.
Related word forms
How stock is actually used
The commercial and financial senses are neutral in register. Stock used for food is common in British and North American English, while in other English-speaking regions it may sound more formal or less familiar. In finance, stock is countable when referring to an individual share and can also be used collectively for company ownership.
Easily confused with stock
Stock means a supply of goods, reserves, or a share in a company, whereas stuck means unable to move or securely attached.