Standard Lemma guide

businesslike

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: B IH1 Z N IH0 S L AY2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Methodical and efficient, in a way that would be advantageous to a business or businessperson.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Earnest and practical without being distracted or enthusiastic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

exhibiting methodical and systematic characteristics that would be useful in business

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: earnest

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *bisīg Old English bisiġ Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Old English bisiġnes Middle English bisynes English business Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -like English -like English businesslike From business + -like.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: делови (delovi) — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Catalan: negociós — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Dutch: zakelijk — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Esperanto: negoca — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Esperanto: afereca — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • German: geschäftsmäßig — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Korean: 사무적 (samujeok) — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Korean: 업무적 (eommujeok) — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Latvian: veikalniecisks — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Polish: biznesowy — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Russian: делово́й (delovój) — methodical and efficient in a way advantageous to business
  • Dutch: zakelijk — earnest, practical and undistracted
  • Esperanto: afereca — earnest, practical and undistracted
  • German: sachbezogen — earnest, practical and undistracted
  • Irish: críochnúil — earnest, practical and undistracted
  • Korean: 사무적 (samujeok) — earnest, practical and undistracted
  • Russian: делово́й (delovój) — earnest, practical and undistracted