HOW TO PRONOUNCE
business
/ˈbɪznəs/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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Use two syllables: BIZ-nis.
There is no separate vowel between z and n. Keep the final vowel light.
2 syllables · Stress on syllable 1
TRY SAYING
“The family runs a small business.”
APG practice sentence · CC BY-SA 4.0
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗What does business mean?
noun
- A specific commercial enterprise or establishment.
- A person's occupation, work, or trade.
- Commercial, industrial, or professional activity.
More meanings (20)
noun
- The volume or amount of commercial trade.
- One's dealings; patronage.
- Private commercial interests taken collectively.
- The management of commercial enterprises, or the study of such management.
- A particular situation or activity.
- Any activity or objective needing to be dealt with; especially, one of a financial or legal matter.
- Something involving one personally.
- Matters that come before a body for deliberation or action.
- Business class, the class of seating provided by airlines between first class and coach.
- Ellipsis of stage business (“aspect of acting”).
- (informal) Hollywood, the entertainment industry.
- (slang) Prostitution.
- (slang) Something very good; top quality.
- (slang) The act of defecation, or the excrement itself, particularly that of a non-human animal.
- (slang) Disruptive shenanigans.
- Matters.
- (rare) A group of ferrets.
adjective
- Of, to, pertaining to, or used for purposes of conducting trade, commerce, governance, advocacy or other professional purposes.
- Professional, businesslike, having concern for good business practice.
- Supporting business, conducive to the conduct of business.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈbɪznəs/
Pronunciation used in the listening tip.
CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
Political stability prompted greater business confidence and consumer demand, leading to increased production by the agricultural, commercial, manufacturing, construction, and utilities sectors.
Since Troy’s death Oak had attended all sales and fairs for her, transacting her business at the same time with his own.
More book examples (3)
“I feel assured it’s this business of the Time Machine,” I said, and took up the Psychologist’s account of our previous meeting.
She was surprised to see so many men in the audience, and wondered how they could leave their business in the afternoon.
“The widow, hey?—and who told the widow she could put in her shovel about a thing that ain’t none of her business?”