Business & Economics
Companies, markets, trade and the language of business.
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71 words
Definitions in: English- 1CEOnounneutral
Abbreviation of Chief Executive Officer; the highest-ranking executive in a company.
The CEO announced record profits at the annual meeting.
- 2executivenounneutral
A senior manager with authority to make decisions in a company.
A group of executives flew in for the merger talks.
- 3departmentnounneutral
A division of a company responsible for a specific function.
She works in the human resources department.
- 4employeenounneutral
A person hired to work for a company in exchange for pay.
The company has over five thousand employees worldwide.
- 5employernounneutral
A person or company that hires and pays workers.
They're the largest employer in the region.
- 6clientnounneutral
A person or organization that pays for professional services.
We can't reveal the names of our clients.
- 7customernounneutral
A person who buys goods or services, especially from a shop or business.
Happy customers are more likely to come back.
- 8managernounneutral
A person responsible for running a department, team, or business.
I'd like to speak to the manager, please.
- 9headquartersnounneutral
The main offices from which a company is controlled; often abbreviated HQ.
The company's headquarters are in Frankfurt.
- 10branchnounneutral
A local office or shop that is part of a larger company.
They're opening a new branch in the city centre.
- 11colleaguenounneutral
A person you work with, especially in a professional setting.
I asked a colleague to cover my shift.
- 12staffnounneutral
The people employed by a company, considered as a group.
The hotel staff were friendly and efficient.
- 13workforcenounneutral
All the people who work for a company or in a country or industry.
Automation is reshaping the global workforce.
- 14manageverbneutral
To be in charge of running a business, team, or project.
She manages a team of twenty engineers.
- 15negotiateverbneutral
To discuss terms in order to reach an agreement, especially in business.
We're still negotiating the terms of the contract.
- 16negotiationnounneutral
The process of discussing something to reach an agreement.
The negotiations broke down after three days.
- 17launchverbneutral
To introduce a new product, service, or company to the market.
They plan to launch the new phone in March.
- 18launchnounneutral
The event or act of introducing a new product to the market.
The product launch was a huge success.
- 19investverbneutral
To put money into a business or project to make a profit.
They decided to invest heavily in research.
- 20investmentnounneutral
Money put into a business or project, or the act of doing so.
Foreign investment in the country has doubled.
- 21investornounneutral
A person or organization that puts money into a business or asset.
The company is looking for new investors.
- 22expandverbneutral
To make a business larger by entering new markets or increasing output.
The chain is planning to expand into Asia.
- 23expansionnounneutral
The growth of a business into new areas or larger operations.
Rapid expansion put the company under strain.
- 24recruitverbneutral
To find and hire new employees for a company.
We're recruiting for several positions this month.
- 25importverbneutral
To bring goods into a country from abroad to sell or use.
The country imports most of its oil.
- 26importnounneutral
A product brought into a country from abroad.
Cheap imports are hurting local producers.
- 27exportverbneutral
To send goods to another country to sell.
The factory exports cars to over forty countries.
- 28exportnounneutral
A product sent to and sold in another country.
Oil remains the country's biggest export.
- 29marketnounneutral
The activity of buying and selling, or the demand for a product.
There's a growing market for electric cars.
- 30competitionnounneutral
Rivalry between businesses trying to win customers.
There's fierce competition in the airline industry.
- 31competitornounneutral
A company that competes with another for the same customers.
Our main competitor just cut its prices.
- 32competitiveadjectiveneutral
Describing prices, markets, or businesses involving strong rivalry, or able to compete well.
We offer very competitive prices.
- 33profitnounneutral
The money gained when income exceeds costs.
The company made a healthy profit last year.
- 34lossnounneutral
The money lost when costs exceed income.
The firm reported a loss of two million euros.
- 35economynounneutral
The system of production, trade, and money in a country or region.
The economy is slowly recovering from the crisis.
- 36economicadjectiveneutral
Relating to the economy, trade, or finance.
The country is facing serious economic problems.
- 37growthnounneutral
An increase in economic activity, size, or value.
The region has seen rapid economic growth.
- 38recessionnounneutral
A period when the economy shrinks and activity declines.
Many businesses closed during the recession.
- 39industrialadjectiveneutral
Relating to industry or manufacturing.
The town grew up around an industrial zone.
- 40inflationnounneutral
A general rise in prices and fall in the purchasing power of money.
Rising inflation is squeezing household budgets.
- 41unemploymentnounneutral
The state of people without jobs, or the number of such people.
Unemployment has reached its highest level in years.
- 42consumernounneutral
A person who buys goods and services for personal use.
Consumers are spending less due to high prices.
- 43demandnounneutral
The amount of a product or service that consumers want to buy.
There's huge demand for affordable housing.
- 44supplynounneutral
The amount of a product available to be sold to the market.
A shortage cut the supply of microchips.
- 45suppliernounneutral
A company or person that provides goods or materials to a business.
We've switched to a cheaper supplier.
- 46retailnounneutral
The sale of goods to the public in small quantities.
She has years of experience in retail.
- 47tradenounneutral
The activity of buying and selling goods, especially between countries.
The two nations signed a new trade agreement.
- 48tradeverbneutral
To buy and sell goods or services, especially between countries or on markets.
The company trades in rare metals.
- 49capitalnounneutral
Money or assets used to start or run a business or to invest.
They raised enough capital to open a second factory.
- 50assetnounneutral
Something of value owned by a person or company.
The firm sold off some of its assets to raise cash.
- 51corporationnounneutral
A large company or group of companies recognized as a single legal entity.
A few giant corporations control the industry.
- 52corporateadjectiveneutral
Relating to large companies or business in general.
The firm is trying to improve its corporate image.
- 53firmnounneutral
A business company, especially one offering professional services.
She works for a consulting firm in London.
- 54profitableadjectiveneutral
Producing a financial gain.
The branch became profitable within two years.
- 55bankruptadjectiveneutral
Unable to pay debts and legally declared so.
The airline went bankrupt during the crisis.
- 56bankruptcynounneutral
The legal state of being unable to pay one's debts.
The company filed for bankruptcy last week.
- 57contractnounneutral
A formal, legally binding agreement between parties.
Both sides finally signed the contract.
- 58dealnounneutral
A business agreement or transaction.
The two firms struck a billion-dollar deal.
- 59partnershipnounneutral
A business owned by two or more people, or a cooperative business relationship.
The two companies formed a strategic partnership.
- 60sharenounneutral
One of the equal parts into which a company's capital is divided.
The company's shares fell sharply today.
- 61stock marketnounneutral
The market where company shares are bought and sold.
The stock market crashed overnight.
- 62budgetnounneutral
A plan of how much money is available and how it will be spent.
The project went well over budget.
- 63multinationalnounneutral
A large company operating in several countries.
She works for a Japanese multinational.
- 64sectornounneutral
A distinct part of an economy or area of business activity.
The tech sector is growing faster than ever.
- 65foundernounneutral
A person who establishes a company or organization.
The founder still owns a majority of the shares.
- 66industrynounneutral
A particular branch of economic activity producing goods or services.
She works in the fashion industry.
- 67wholesaleadjective, noun, adverbneutral
Relating to the sale of goods in large quantities, usually to retailers rather than the public.
They buy at wholesale prices and sell at a markup.
- 68enterprisenounformal
A business or company, or business activity in general.
The government supports small and medium enterprises.
- 69stocknounneutralAmerican English
American English word for a unit of ownership in a company; British English typically uses 'share'.
She bought stock in three tech companies last year.
She purchased shares in three technology companies last year.
- 70coworkernounneutralAmerican English
American English word for a person you work with; British English usually says 'colleague'.
I asked a coworker to cover my shift on Friday.
I asked a colleague to take over my shift on Friday.
- 71managing directornounneutralBritish English
British English title for the top executive who runs a company; American English typically uses 'CEO'.
The managing director announced the merger to the board.
The chief executive announced the merger to the board.
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Talk business like a professional with vocabulary drawn from the boardroom, the market, and the wider economy. This pack covers company structure, negotiation and trade, plus the economic ideas behind growth, competition, and profit. Aimed at upper-intermediate and advanced learners, it sharpens the precise, formal language that meetings, reports, and confident workplace conversation demand.