What business English terminology is
Business English terminology is the vocabulary people use at work: words for money and ownership, shorthand for strategy and performance, and idioms for meetings and emails. Some terms have exact definitions, such as “revenue”. Others are informal phrases, such as “circle back”. This glossary explains both in plain language.
Core company and money terms
- Revenue: the money a business takes in from selling goods or services, before costs are subtracted.
- Profit: what is left after costs are subtracted from revenue.
- Budget: a plan for how money will be earned and spent over a period.
- Cash flow: the movement of money into and out of a business. See also runway.
- Asset: something a business owns that has value.
- Liability: something a business owes.
- Equity: ownership value in a company.
- Invoice: a bill sent to a customer for goods or services.
- Overhead: ongoing costs of running a business that are not tied to one product, such as rent.
- IPO (initial public offering): the first sale of a company’s shares to the public.
Strategy and performance terms
- Business model: how a company creates and earns money. See business plan vs business model.
- Market share: the portion of a market a company holds.
- KPI (key performance indicator): a measure used to track progress toward a goal. More in the management terms list.
- ROI (return on investment): a measure comparing the gain from an investment with its cost.
- Stakeholder: a person or group affected by or interested in a business decision.
- B2B and B2C: business-to-business and business-to-consumer, describing who the customer is.
- Outsourcing: paying an outside company to do work that could be done in-house.
- Benchmarking: comparing your results with others’ or with a standard.
Meeting and email phrases
- Touch base: make brief contact. “Let’s touch base on Friday.”
- Circle back: return to a topic later.
- Action item: a task assigned to someone.
- Low-hanging fruit: easy wins that need little effort.
- Take it offline: discuss something outside the current meeting.
- Keep me in the loop: keep me informed.
- Moving forward: from now on.
- Please find attached: a formal way to say a file is included.
Idioms like these are common but not universal, and they can confuse non-native speakers. In writing for a wide audience, plain alternatives are often clearer.
Negotiation and deals
- Win-win: an outcome that benefits both sides.
- Sweeten the deal: add something to make an offer more attractive.
- Non-negotiable: not open to change.
- Walk away: end talks because terms are unacceptable.
- Best and final offer: a last offer, after which no further changes are expected.
Acronyms and terms that trip people up
Some terms have several meanings, so context matters. These guides cover a few:
- What a bake-off means in business: a contest where vendors or advisers compete for work.
- What POV means in business: often proof of value, sometimes point of view.
- What PPV means in business: usually purchase price variance.
- How ITIL defines a business service: service, value, outcome, cost and risk.
How to learn and use the terms
- Learn terms in groups tied to your job, such as finance or marketing.
- Read real emails, reports and meeting notes to see terms in context.
- Spell out acronyms the first time you use them.
- Ask when you are unsure; colleagues usually prefer a quick question to a misunderstanding.
- Use jargon sparingly. Plain wording is usually easier to follow.
FAQ
What are some common phrases used in business English? Examples include “touch base”, “circle back”, “action item” and “moving forward”.
What are 10 professional words? Revenue, profit, budget, stakeholder, strategy, invoice, contract, deadline, negotiation and KPI are a good starting set.
Are these terms the same everywhere? Not always. Meanings and spelling differ between countries and industries, so check local usage when it matters.