Businesswise

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Concerning matters related to commerce or enterprise; regarding commercial or professional activities; in a manner pertaining to business operations
2. In connection with economic dealings or organizational affairs; with respect to profit-making ventures or work-related concerns; from a commercial perspective
3. Relating to trade or industrial pursuits; focused on management or financial aspects of a company; with an emphasis on business considerations

Etymology: "Businesswise" is a plain compound of two English words: "business" and the suffix "-wise". The suffix goes back to Old English "wise", meaning "manner" or "way", and it survives in older words such as "clockwise" and "otherwise". Attaching it to a noun produces an adverb describing a matter viewed from a particular angle, so "businesswise" means "in terms of business". The sense is therefore literal: a remark made "businesswise" concerns the commercial side of a situation, whether trade, management or money, rather than its other aspects. Because the suffix can be added to almost any noun, the word follows a pattern that English speakers have used freely for centuries, which is why it needs no special origin story.

Synonyms: commercially, economically, financially

Antonyms: personally, socially