acquihire
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To acquire a company, in particular a small startup, to recruit its employees, rather than for its products or services.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Tarek was an acquihired founder like you. He turned out to be so awesome, I made him co-head of one of Phluttr's biggest projects! But that's rare. I usually look to guys like you and him to start something new. You're entrepreneurs, after all![…]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “acquihire” mean?
To acquire a company, in particular a small startup, to recruit its employees, rather than for its products or services.
Is “acquihire” formal or informal?
acquihire is generally slang.