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small business

American

[smawl biz-nis] / ˈsmɔl ˈbɪz nɪs /

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of small business

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On a recent trip to Lipetsk region, small business owners told me they were struggling to stay afloat.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

“We would genuinely love to have a deeper conversation about what it’s like to try and open and run a small business in New York City,” Hivernat says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

After Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour posted on X about the promotion, social-media users responded by pointing out that a small business hedging potential losses tied to a promotion wasn’t exactly a new concept.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

That it’s easy for people to start a small business and grow their families right here in the communities that they love.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026

I started a small business of charging a penny to lend one out.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023