business
/ˈbɪz.nɪs/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: 5.56 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "I left my father's business."
- "The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies."
- "He is in the motor and insurance businesses."
- "I'm going to Las Vegas on business."
- "He's such a poor cook, I can't believe he's still in business!"
- "We do business all over the world."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *bisīg Old English bisiġ Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Old English bisiġnes Middle English bisynes English business From Middle English busines, busynes, businesse, bisynes, from Old English bisiġnes (“business, busyness”), equivalent to busy + -ness. Doublet of busyness. Sense 17 (something very good, top quality), possibly derives from "the bee's knees"
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈbɪz.nɪs/
Usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
- Informal
- Slang
- British usage