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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.

Ramaphosa said efforts would be made to ensure all informal shops were properly registered by the small business development department.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

The Fed Bank of Chicago said that small business intermediaries reported greater uncertainty on the part of their clients, who were increasingly reluctant to take on debt to start or grow their businesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 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

It has sparked condemnation from small business groups and investors who accuse Canberra of penalising wealth creators.

From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026

Before we could truly embark on this journey as small business owners, we needed investment capital to help launch the business.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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