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Glite Dictionary
business district

business district

11 2.4
A central part of a city where most offices and shops are
  • noun
  • /ˈbɪznəs ˈdɪstrɪkt/
translation icon : distrito comercial
  • And because this is the AM peak and this is the central business district, let's say that everybody's going in, nobody's coming out.
  • central business district
  • downtown business district
  • business district of the city

I mourn the decline of once thriving towns and bustling black business districts.

Examples

  • A lot of cities are pretty much deserted in the old business districts.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Chinatown also bordered the central business district in San Francisco.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Could you tell me the way to the central business district? -

    Paddington (2014)

  • Business owners along this street are generally proud of the park, including the village's business district.

    Academic text (2011)

  • "Stop here," Doug said suddenly, as they moved into the business district and cars all but disappeared.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • It also means that shops and restaurants in business districts are closing down due to fewer customers.

  • Many downtown business districts, including Lawrence's, have seemingly marked every building for its age and past uses.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Most of the serious disturbances arose in the business districts of the large towns and adjacent large villages.

    Academic text (1990)

  • In 1870, Phoenix's townsite was laid out to facilitate the establishment of a central business district.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The central business district is always busy with shoppers and office workers during lunch hours.

Synonyms

downtown
vsbusiness district
  • US
930 1.0

The main part of a city with many offices, shops, and restaurants

is narrower, focusing on zones where most business and commerce occur
city center
vsbusiness district
  • US
18 1.1

The main area of a city with most shops and offices

is narrower, concentrating on commercial and business activities rather than public buildings

Antonyms

residential area
16 2.1

Part of a town where people live in houses or apartments

How Commercial

financial center
  • US
4 3.3
business district
11 2.4
local
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

business district singular
business districts plural

Morphology

business + district

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'business' (commercial activity) + 'district' (an area); together they naturally denote an area where commercial activity is concentrated. This noun‑noun compound follows a common and cross‑linguistically familiar pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The name business district comes from a simple town image: a district where many businesses, like shops and offices, are grouped together. So, the phrase means the central area in a city where most 'business' activity happens.