Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A street in lower Manhattan, New York City: The physical location where the New York Stock Exchange and other major financial institutions are historically headquartered.
   • A symbol or metonym for the U.S. financial markets and the securities industry: Used to refer collectively to the institutions, activities, and culture of high finance and investment banking in the United States.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (Physical location):

  • The Federal Hall National Memorial is located on Wall Street.
  • Tourists often take pictures of the Charging Bull statue near Wall Street.

• Proper noun (Symbolic meaning):

  • The decision from Wall Street will influence markets globally.
  • Main Street often feels disconnected from the interests of Wall Street.

Advanced Usage

• "Wall Street vs. Main Street": A common contrast used in economic and political discourse to highlight perceived differences between the interests of the financial industry and those of the general public or small businesses.
  • The policy debate centered on what would help Main Street without unfairly benefiting Wall Street.

Variants and Related Words

• Wall Streeter (noun): A person who works in the financial industry in New York City, typically for a large bank, hedge fund, or investment firm.
  • As a Wall Streeter, his days were consumed by market analysis.

Synonyms

• The Street: An informal synonym, often used in financial news (e.g., "The Street reacted favorably to the earnings report").
• The financial district: Refers more literally to the geographic area.
• High finance: Refers to the large-scale financial activities but is not a direct geographic synonym.

Related Phrases

• "Wall Street Journal": The name of a major American business-focused newspaper.
  • He reads the Wall Street Journal every morning to follow the markets.

Related Idioms

• "Greenspan put" / "Fed put": While not containing "Wall Street," this idiom originates from and is frequently used in Wall Street jargon. It refers to the belief that the Federal Reserve will intervene to support financial markets.
• "Too big to fail": A concept often discussed in the context of Wall Street institutions, referring to large banks whose failure is deemed to threaten the entire financial system.

Noun

1. used to allude to the securities industry of the United States
2. a street in lower Manhattan where the New York Stock Exchange is located; symbol of American finance