small business

American  

[smawl biz-nis] / ˈsmɔl ˈbɪz nɪs /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of small business

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15

Example Sentences

My wife and I have a small business selling home decor on eBay.

From The Wall Street Journal

But this week he responded in a tough but fair way to a cry for help from a new mother whose husband had secretly started a small business through which he lost a lot of money, while also losing his job and racking up credit-card debt.

From MarketWatch

I got to return to my hometown and build a whole new life, one that I find very fulfilling, one that I find really grounding, and was able to start a small business, built an oyster farm into a successful commercial operation.

From Slate

Read here more on the latest small business conditions.

From Barron's

A Bank of America Institute survey released last month External link found that small business owners were cautiously optimistic, expecting better business health and higher sales this year.

From Barron's