Samsung

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large South Korean conglomerate that manufactures electronics and technology products ; a widely sold brand of phones, televisions and other consumer devices
2. The multinational corporation based in Seoul known for semiconductors and electronics ; the consumer product line of smartphones, televisions and appliances it markets
3. A technology company headquartered in South Korea that produces chips and gadgets ; the brand name under which its phones and home electronics are sold worldwide

Etymology: Samsung takes its name from the Korean "삼성" (Samseong), which combines "삼" (sam), meaning three, and "성" (seong), meaning star. The literal sense is "three stars," and the name was chosen to suggest something powerful and enduring, a sense of eternity carried by the three stars. The company it names was founded in Korea as a trading business, and the name was used as a brand for its goods. Because the word is a Korean proper noun, it entered English as a brand and company name rather than as a common word, so its meaning in English is tied to the firm and its products.