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family business

family business

73 2.4
A company owned and run by people from the same family
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˈbɪznəs/
translation icon : empresa familiar
  • He wants to take over the family business.
  • take over the family business
  • work in the family business
  • a small family business

But we've just, you know, it's been a family business, you know, it's kind of growing up in it.

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Examples

How Family-run

family business
73 2.4
corporate
5 4.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

family + business

The meaning 'a company owned and controlled by members of a single family' is directly compositional from 'family' (relatives) + 'business' (a company), so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer this sense. This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistically familiar pattern (family + business = business run by family members), making it transparently understandable.

Etymology

Family business names a business run by the same family. Picture parents and children working together in one shop and passing it down to the next generation, and that's why it means 'a company owned and controlled by members of a single family'.