DBA

¹ American  

Or dba,

abbreviation

1. doing business as: DBA often precedes the name under which a business operates that is not the legal name of the business. Individuals who have not incorporated can also use such a name to carry out business activities. Many states and counties require the registration of the name.

---

noun

1.  assumed business name,.   fictitious name.  a name other than a company's legal name that is used to carry out business activities.

   She ran her home business using the DBA “Betty's Bargains.”

dBa ² American  

Or dba

1. decibels above reference noise, adjusted.

---

D.B.A. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Doctor of Business Administration.

---

Etymology

Origin of DBA

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

He expects the DBA will test last year’s $28.49 highs, and $32 above that, which he sees likely in 2026.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

Creators coalesced from the acquisition of DBA and its merger with UTA’s digital, audio and gaming divisions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Also, no one can be in more than one DBA at a time.

From Slate • Jun. 27, 2023

Singer John Boutte’s usual gig at the DBA bar is gone for now — as are the performances he had planned in Denmark, Switzerland and Scotland.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 14, 2020

Migwan drew the construction lines as indicated in the book and labored valiantly to understand why the Angle A was equal to its alternate, DBA, her brow puckered into a studious frown.

From The Camp Fire Girls at School Or, The Wohelo Weavers by Frey, Hildegard G. (Hildegard Gertrude)