chaebol

noun

chae·​bol ˈchā-ˌbōl How to pronounce chaebol (audio)
ˈje-ˌbəl
plural chaebol also chaebols
: a family-controlled industrial conglomerate in South Korea

Examples of chaebol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The series stars Son Ye-jin (Something in the Rain) as Yoon Se-ri, a South Korean CEO and chaebol heiress who is blown into the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas while paragliding during a freak tornado. Kayti Burt, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025 The feud has become a test of the resilience of South Korea’s powerful family-run conglomerates known as chaebols in the face of Western-style corporate governance. Daisuke Wakabayashi, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 Lim, the eldest daughter of Daesang Group’s honorary chairman Lim Chang-wook and hence a chaebol heiress (chaebol refers to South Korea’s family-run conglomerates), also happens to be the ex-wife of Lee Jae-yong, the executive chairman of Samsung Electronics. Regina Kim, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025 Personal connections likewise structured the relations of big chaebols, South Korea’s corporate conglomerates, with their small and medium-sized suppliers, and even individual citizens’ job searches, financial choices, and voting behavior. Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chaebol

Word History

Etymology

Korean chaebŏl, from chae wealth, property + pŏl faction, clan

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chaebol was in 1972

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Cite this Entry

“Chaebol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaebol. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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