Word
Definition
n. a man who works in business, especially one who has an important job in a company. You use this to describe someone who manages or owns a commercial organization.
n. a male person engaged in commercial or industrial business, particularly in an executive or ownership capacity. Often replaced by the gender-neutral 'businessperson' in modern professional contexts.
Examples
“The businessman wears a suit to every meeting.”
“A local businessman decided to invest in the new community center to help young entrepreneurs.”
“While the traditional image of a businessman involves a briefcase and a formal office, modern commerce allows many to operate entirely through digital platforms from remote locations.”
Examples
simple
“The businessman wears a suit to every meeting.”
contextual
“A local businessman decided to invest in the new community center to help young entrepreneurs.”
complex
“While the traditional image of a businessman involves a briefcase and a formal office, modern commerce allows many to operate entirely through digital platforms from remote locations.”
Usage
Often used in the plural 'businessmen'; increasingly substituted with 'businessperson' or 'executive' to avoid gender-specific language.
Etymology
From business + -man. Displaced earlier merchant, ultimately from Latin mercāns (“merchant, buyer”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/businessman
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0