small business

[smawl biz-nis]

noun

1. a profit-seeking enterprise or concern that is independently owned and operated, has a limited number of employees, and is not nationally dominant in its field.

Word History and Origins

Origin of small business¹

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

Other small business owners have also told the BBC they have lost confidence.

From BBC

So they relied on a loan from the Small Business Administration, gutted the damaged walls, and raised the foundation as they rebuilt the house.

From Los Angeles Times

A small business owner has had to close her shop and go into liquidation because of rising costs and a fall in customer spending.

From BBC

On March 27, Benjamin Grayson, the deputy chief of staff at the Small Business Administration, sent an email to Samuel Scales, a United States Trade Representative staffer, concerning a Florida-based crossbow manufacturer, Barnett Crossbows.

From Salon

Earlier this year, SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler boasted of her agency’s effort to “overhaul” the Community Advantage Small Business Lending Company, which was intended to grant loans to underserved communities.

From Salon