Initial public offering (IPO) is a process of offering shares of a private company to the public market for the first time. The term IPO is widely used in the financial industry, but there are other synonyms used for referring to this process. Some of the synonyms for IPO include initial stock offering, public offering, share issue, and flotation. These terms are commonly used by different countries and industries, highlighting the differences in terminology and financial regulations across the globe. Regardless of the synonym used, the purpose of an IPO is to raise capital and expand the business through public investments.