est
n. uncountablen. the year when a business, school, or group first started. You often see this on signs or logos to show that a company has a long history.
n. an abbreviation for 'established', used to indicate the founding date of an institution or business. Frequently appears on commercial signage and branding to imply longevity and reliability.
The sign above the door says 'Est. 1924'.
The local bakery proudly displays its founding year on the window, reading 'Est. 1895'.
While the modern corporation was formed recently, the family-owned subsidiary still uses its original founding date, Est. 1750, to maintain its heritage branding.
From Middle English este, from Old English ēst (“will, consent, favour”), from Proto-West Germanic ansti, from Proto-Germanic anstiz (“favour, affection”), from Proto-Indo-European ān- (“to notice; face, mouth”) or from h₃neh₂- (“to bestow, offer, help; to enjoy”). Cognate with Icelandic ást (“affection, love”), Dutch gunst (“favour, grace, courtesy, privilege”), German Gunst (“favour, goodwill, boon”), Danish yndest (“favour”), Swedish ynnest (“favour, indulgence, grace”).
Usually written as an abbreviation with a period ('Est.'); typically followed by a specific year.