employer identification number – n : often referred to by its abbreviation (EIN), a.k.a. Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), or tax ID; a unique number issued to a company, when it is first established, by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS); as with an individual’s Social Security Number, the EIN is required for a startup company to engage in many basic business transactions such as opening a bank account, hiring employees, etc.

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Adapted from "The CompanyCrafters Entrepreneur's Dictionary"
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