Business means the work of making, buying, or selling goods and services to earn money. A business might be a corner bakery selling fresh bread, a factory manufacturing bicycles, or a website connecting people who need rides with drivers. When someone says they're “in business,” they mean they're operating a company or working to make a profit.

The word also describes commercial activity in general. When a store owner says “business is good,” she means customers are buying plenty of products. News reports might discuss how “businesses are hiring more workers” or how “small businesses struggle during tough economic times.”

Running a successful business requires understanding what customers want, managing employees fairly, keeping accurate financial records, and making smart decisions about the future. A lemonade stand teaches basic business principles: you buy supplies, set prices, attract customers, and hopefully earn more than you spent.

People also use business to mean a person's own concern or responsibility. If your friend asks about something private, you might say “that's none of your business.” When someone tells you to “mind your own business,” they're saying you should focus on your own affairs, not theirs. And when you “get down to business,” you stop chatting and start working on what really matters.