big business

American  

noun

1. large business, commercial, and financial firms taken collectively, especially when considered as a group having shared attitudes and goals and exercising control over economic policy, politics, etc.

2. any large organization of a noncommercial nature resembling this.

3. any large business enterprise.

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big business British  

noun

1. large commercial organizations collectively, esp when considered as exploitative or socially harmful

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big business Cultural  

1. Large corporations, as opposed to small individually or family-owned businesses.

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Etymology

Origin of big business

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

Example Sentences

From her perch in New Orleans, she has also reported on natural disasters, the big business of Mardi Gras and her neighborhood peacock, Mr. P.

From The Wall Street Journal

The company, which makes transformers and switches and does big business with data centers, could benefit from booming energy demand tied to AI.

From Barron's

The company, which makes transformers and switches and does big business with data centers, could benefit from booming energy demand tied to AI.

From Barron's

An equally American facet of the game is that it’s a big business.

From The Wall Street Journal

Holiday music is big business, with new performers jumping into the action every winter.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• business
• commerce
• corporation
• management
• production
• trade