East India Company: Meaning and Definition of

East' In'dia Com"pany

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the company chartered by the English government in 1600 to carry on trade in the East Indies: dissolved in 1874.
  2. any similar company, as one chartered by the Dutch (1602–1798), the French (1664–1769), or the Danes (1729–1801).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.