What does businesswoman mean?
A businesswoman is a woman who engages in commercial activity, whether as the owner of an enterprise, an executive within a company, or a professional working in trade, finance, or industry. The word pairs the established term 'business' — meaning commerce or commercial enterprise — with 'woman', marking it as the female counterpart of 'businessman'. It carries a neutral-to-positive connotation: in journalism and everyday conversation it signals competence, initiative, and professional standing. Common contexts include profiles of entrepreneurs ('a self-made businesswoman'), news coverage of corporate leadership, and discussions of women's advancement in the workplace. While some contemporary writing favors the gender-neutral alternatives 'businessperson' or 'entrepreneur', 'businesswoman' remains a standard, well-accepted term whenever the subject's identity as a woman is relevant or worth noting.
nounA woman who works in business, especially one who owns, manages, or holds a senior position in a commercial enterprise.
- A woman who works in or runs a business, particularly in an ownership, managerial, or executive capacity.
"After years of running her own import firm, she was widely regarded as one of the most astute businesswomen in the city."
"As the founder and CEO of two companies, Priya is a formidable businesswoman."
"She started out selling handmade jewelry at local markets and grew into a respected businesswoman with stores across the country."
Irregular plural formed by changing the vowel of 'woman' to 'women', exactly as with 'woman' → 'women'.
"The conference brought together hundreds of businesswomen from across Asia."
The word 'businesswoman' didn't become widespread until women began breaking into boardrooms en masse in the 20th century — before then, dictionaries barely acknowledged the role existed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of businesswoman
The compound combines 'business', derived from Old English 'bisig' meaning busy, which evolved through Middle English into the noun denoting one's work or commercial dealings, and 'woman', from Old English 'wīfmann' (wife + man). The compound itself is a relatively modern formation, gaining currency as women entered commerce and industry in significant numbers during the 19th and especially the 20th century, paralleling earlier compounds like 'businessman'. Its cognates are essentially the constituent parts: other '-woman' compounds (chairwoman, spokeswoman) and words built on the same Germanic root for busy work.
How businesswoman is actually used
Neutral to positive in register; used in both formal journalism and everyday speech. Some modern style guides prefer gender-neutral 'businessperson' or simply 'entrepreneur', but 'businesswoman' remains common and uncontroversial when referring to a woman specifically.
Easily confused with businesswoman
A businessman is a man engaged in business, whereas a businesswoman is specifically a woman engaged in business.